Appearances can be deceptive – and no more so than in the case of the Angmering Park Shoot in West Sussex, which is set over 6,000 acres of land in the South Downs. Having driven from Arundel, where the castle sits sentinel high above the surrounding flat and rather docile land, it’s hard to see how Angmering Park has built a reputation for high birds. The approach to the shoot lodge does little to belie this view.
Warmly greeted by Nigel Clutton, who took charge of the shoot 31 years ago, I ask the obvious, if somewhat impertinent, question: “Tall birds, from here?” His reply is simple: “You’ll see.”
Against the warmth of the log fire in the lodge, Clutton introduces me to the shooting party for the day: Richard Andrew, Sheila and Rod Flavell, Gavin Knight, David Moorhouse, Michael Prideaux, Martin Reed, Paul and Michael Roy. And then, over coffee, gives me a quick history of his involvement with Angmering Park.
“My late sister-in-law, Anne Fitzalan-Howard, Lady Herries of Terregles and the 16th Duke of Norfolk’s eldest daughter, invited me to manage the shoot on behalf of the family. It had become rather too much for Anne and her husband, former England cricketer Colin Cowdrey. As a professional in estate management, and being married to Anne’s sister, Sarah, I became the natural choice.
“From that point on my role was to turn the shoot into a profitable entity providing an income for the estate. That meant creating a very high quality shoot that would rank among the best in the country using the right kind of drives, stocking them properly and making optimum use of all our contours.”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2021-Ausgabe von The Field.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2021-Ausgabe von The Field.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
A sweet-pea Summer
Sweet peas are enjoying an Instagram moment’ but to appreciate fully these charming flowers one must hasten back to the real world, says Ursula Buchan
Top sporting stays
Effortlessly smart and with superb shooting and fishing on the doorstep, these British hotels are the perfect base for fieldsports enthusiasts, says Madeleine Silver
Tradition with a twist
Showcasing the finest British produce from honey, beer and butter to game and venison, this month’s trio of dishes truly encapsulate the taste of Britain, says Philippa Davis
Daylesford
Organic farming at its finest
The best of British breeds
When it comes to developing and establishing the world’s most popular gundog breeds, Britain has a lot to be proud of, says David Tomlinson
Ping and you're winning
An email alert for burgonets coming to auction draws Roger Field’s attention to a promising lot. Meanwhile, a sale from novelist John le Carré’s estate temporarily raises an eyebrow
Saving the queen of flowers
Trailing clouds of glory into your garden, historic roses are as vital a part of British heritage as a Gainsborough painting and must be preserved
Long live the sporting pub
Not just a place to drink, the right kind of country pub is a beacon for fieldsports enthusiasts. The Star Inn in Harome is one such spot
The sole survivors
An increasingly casual attitude to what we wear has given rise to the so-called dress sneaker’ but proper gentlemen's shoes will never go out of fashion
A win in the willow
The cricket bat industry is steeped in tradition yet must move with the times to meet demand, opening a lucrative door for landowners in the process