Hardwick Park Farm - About the Farm

The Farm's History

Hardwick Park Farm is situated on the Hardwick Hall Estate, east of Chesterfield on the Derbyshire – Nottinghamshire county border. The National Trust has owned the farm and estate since 1959.

The farm comprises 234 hectares, of which 160 hectares are included in a Countryside Stewardship Scheme, which commenced in 2002. The remaining 74 hectares is also all grassland but not included in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme; this is done to aid modern farming practices. The parkland is registered as Grade 1 on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens.

Until recently the farm was managed as a mixed grassland and arable farm. The western part of the Park was designated a Country Park in 1977 and as such has enjoyed considerable amounts of public access. There was no public access across any part of the eastern park.

In October 2003 the farm entered a Countryside Stewardship Scheme agreement designed to restore the parkland and create further open access.

The main elements of the restoration work are

• The reversion of all the arable land to grassland,
• Management of the previous grassland and new grassland under conservation management,
• Removal of fences to recreate open vistas across the Park and
• Planting of additional tress, particularly in the ex-arable areas.
• In addition, open access will be created across the eastern Park for visitors to see the restoration work.

Click here to get the full details on the Stewardship Scheme at Hardwick Park Farm

The farm's location and how to find us

Click here to see where the farm's location, directions to get there and contact details.

The Aldis Family

After years of dreaming about running their own farm, Richard and Clare Aldis have become the National Trust’s latest share farmers – at Hardwick Park Farm on the National Trust’s Hardwick Estate in Derbyshire.

Richard, Clare, and their two sons, moved to the Hardwick Estate from the West Midlands, where Richard was previously manager of an open farm at Sandwell Country Park.  Hardwick Park Farm is a 650-acre farm surrounding the internationally famous Hardwick Hall.  Richard and Clare have the enthusiasm and passion to work with the National Trust in reintroducing rare breeds of sheep, cattle, and restoring the historic parkland.

Richard and Clare are now selling Hardwick meat direct from their new farm shop, as well as supplying the Restaurant at Hardwick Hall, Hardwick Inn and a local butcher.  We produce all our own fodder, but when we have to buy extra feed for the animals, we make sure it comes from a local supplier and from crops that have not been genetically modified.

Meat sales have taken off in a big way – people who’ve tasted Hardwick lamb or beef at the local pub or at Hardwick Hall are keen to buy some to take home and so far, we have sold out of meat on every weekend they’ve been open for sales.

You can place an order for Hardwick beef, lamb and pork, by calling 01246 859091 or you can e-mail claldis@dsl.pipex.com.

Plan a visit to learn about the Farm

As part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, the Government pays certain farmers to invite groups of the public to visit their farms to learn about the countryside.

Groups can be school parties studying farming as part of the National Curriculum, or groups wishing to learn about food production, farming, wildlife conservation, landscape and historical features. Contact Richard and Clare on 01246 859091 to find out more. These visits are free of charge to the group.

Hardwick Estate and the surrounding countryside

The Hardwick Estate has a lot to offer learning groups, covering a wide range of subjects.

• You can soak up the Tudor grandeur of Hardwick Hall
• Find out about life for the Estate workers at Stainsby Mill
• The Stonemason’s Yard and Stone Centre
• Experience nature in the woodlands and wildlife-rich parkland surrounding the Hall and Farm.

Click here for more details on the Hardwick estate.