Reading the Regency

Property - The Estate

Examples include Staunton Harold, home of Earl Ferrers whose park covered 150 acres; Baron de Dunstanville, who held 700 acres of lawns and grounds at Tehidy House; Earl Macclesfield who enjoyed 60 acres of park at Sherbourne Castle; and F. T. Edgerton Esq, who enjoyed the use of 2,000 acres of "park, garden and farm scenery".

It was common for the park surrounding the house and gardens to be either described in acres, the circumference of the area in miles, or occasionally even both:

"Cobham Hall - near Cobham; Earl Darnley. A house in the form of a Roman H, the centre partly by Inigo Jones; the park of 1800 acres, nearly seven miles in circumference, beautifully diversified, abundantly wooded; with remarkably fine oaks, and a noble avenue of lime trees."
[An Encyclopaedia of Gardening, by John Claudius Loudon, pub. 1822]

So when Mr. Darcy's park at Pemberley is described as having a circumference of ten miles, how many acres would that have been? An estate of similar size belonged to the Duke of Newcastle. Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire was described as "between ten and eleven miles round" and contained 4,000 acres.

Not every country estate would have included a park, as Jane Austen herself noted:

"Cleveland was a spacious, modern-built house, situated on a sloping lawn. It had no park, but the pleasure-grounds were tolerably extensive; and, like every other place of the same degree of importance, it had its open shrubbery, and closer wood walk; a road of smooth gravel, winding round a plantation, led to the front."
[Chapter 42, Sense & Sensibility, by Jane Austen]

Surrounding the park or garden, some owners might include Plantations, or areas of trees. They were often used to provide privacy for the house and shield the sight of less pleasant views. Planting an area of trees was also an investment, as it provided a valuable crop that could be sold decades later if required.

"The estate that is considered to possess the largest quantity of oak timber in the county, is the Leigh estate: I was creditably informed, that the quantity that is ready for cutting upon this estate, if sold, would exceed the sum of 150,000l."
[A Review (and Complete Abstract) of the Reports to the Board of Agriculture from the Midland Department of England, by William Marshall, pub. 1815]

Most timber was sold by auction, sometimes up to a thousand trees at a time. Its value depended on the species of tree being offered, its height, width and condition. Oak was the most valuable, as it took the longest to grow and there was always demand from shipbuilders. Ash, elm, beech and poplar trees were the next most valuable. The bark of trees also had value and was sometimes sold separately.

Some gentlemen lived quite happily with a country house, a park, maybe a plantation and income from investments. But if they wanted their estate to earn them additional funds, other elements were needed.

"At Donnington Park, the Earl of Moira has in hand, besides the park of 450 acres, a regular farm of about 370 acres, making in the whole about 820 acres."
[A Review (and Complete Abstract) of the Reports to the Board of Agriculture from the Midland Department of England, by William Marshall, pub. 1815]

The Home Farm was the farm under the direct control of the family. The decisions were made by the estate's owner, his bailiff or steward, or an experienced farmer working for the owner. The home farm could grow crops to feed livestock or produce to be sold. Any profits made by the home farm would add directly to the income of the estate. Not every estate would have a home farm.

Some gentlemen and peers were more interested in farming than others, and involved themselves in the home farm to a greater degree. In Jane Austen's Emma, Mr Knightley was very much involved in the decision making: