Ilchester Estates comprises of Abottsbury Subtropical Gardens (“With over 30 acres, the Subtropical Gardens are home to over 6000 species”) which is touted as a wedding venue (“From a small and intimate ceremony only, to a large ceremony and reception β the Subtropical Gardens is a wedding venue that suits both”), Abbotsbury Swannery (“The worldβs only managed colony of nesting Mute Swans”) and Dorset Country Lettings (“Ilchester Estates has a diverse portfolio of commercial properties situated in and around the picturesque Dorset villages of Abbotsbury, Evershot and Melbury Osmond”). It is owned by Charlotte Townshend, one of the richest people in the South West of England, whose estate also includes parts of Chesil Beach and a large swathe of farmland along the coast. Ms Townshend is a former master of the Cattistock Hunt and regularly allows the Cattistock to meet – out of the tourist season – at the Swannery, where they have been seen by numerous sabs and monitors chasing foxes.
Ilchester Estates (Dorset)
Links to more information
- PETITION (Change.org): Revoke the charitable status of The Swannery Trust (Action Against Foxhunting Dorset)
- Weymouth Animal Rights: ππππ¬ π π¨π’π₯ ππ‘π¨π¨π ππ§π ππ¨π§ππ«π¨π§π ππ’π¨π₯ππ§π πππππ’π¬ππ¨ππ€ (Facebook December 2024)
- North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs: Hounds were taken eastwards to the reed beds forming part of Abbotsbury Swannery (Facebook, February 2024)
- North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs: Cattistock Hunt β Abbotsbury Swannery “Meet was at the Swannery. Sabs βfound them heading into one of the favourite places to find a fox, the reed beds next to the Swannery.” (Facebook, March 2023)
- North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs: Cattistock Hunt, Abbotsbury Swannery “The Hunt “searched woods at the Subtropical Gardensβ. βThey didn’t go down into the Swannery itself this time, presumably due to bird flu.” (Facebook, February 2022)
- Weymouth Animal Rights: Lady Charlotte Townshend’s Cattistock Hunt, meet at Abbotsbury. “To be honest we really weren’t expecting them to be hunting at Abbotsbury. With an outbreak of Avian Flu firstly diagnosed in Swans at Abbotsbury Swannery, this area is under restrictions concerning biosecurity measures!!!!β (Facebook, February 2018)
- Weymouth Animal Rights: Hounds in Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens (the Swannery sister attraction) and the Swannery. Sabs “found the whip and his friend waiting opposite the gardens trade entrance so decided to stop and have a listen and straight away could hear the hounds in cry in the gardens!” (Facebook, November 2017)
- Dorset Echo: Charlotte Townshend forced to resign as Dorset Wildlife Trust patron (May 2013)
- The Independent: Millionaire blocks nature reserve in hunt ban protest (July 1999)
Credits
Information provided by a supporter (thank you). Screenshot Weymouth Animal Rights.
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Listing is to inform choice only. By listing a business we are not suggesting or implying that the business is acting unlawfully. We are not asking for a boycott of the business. If you wish to contact the business please do so politely. We are a non-violent organisation and making threats, intimidating or harassing individuals is never acceptable under any circumstances and may lead to prosecution.