Bentley Wildfowl And Motor Museum
Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum
Halland, Lewes,
East Sussex BN8 5AF
Tel: 01825 840573
About Bentley Wildflowl and Motor Museum
Bentley Wildfowl And Motor Museum is at Halland, near Lewes, East Sussex, and offers the best of several worlds, making it a top-class family attraction. For Bentley Wildfowl not only houses a stunning collection of over 1000 swans, geese and ducks from across the globe, nor just an unrivalled gathering of Veteran, Edwardian and Vintage Cars and Motorcycles. A ticket to Bentley Wildfowl takes the visitor into a landscaped garden and stately home of stunning splendour, ranging from shaped tree sculptures and reconstructions of prehistoric settlements, to a craft centre and host of year-round events that attract thousands, making Bentley Wildfowl a guaranteed fun family day out.
On entering Bentley Wildfowl, the ticket holder cannot but be impressed by Bentley House, a Palladian-style mansion based on a farm estate dating back 700 years and restored by Raymond Erith at the behest of the Askew family after the War. The house was extended and furnished with a rich collection of antiques, furnishings and interior decoration. For aficionados, the mid-18th century wallpaper of Chinese Drawing Room is just the ticket, while smoked mirrors between the windows and Jean Hornak paintwork complete the sumptuous décor of this extension to the east end of the house in the 50s. Gilt furniture adds verve, as do garden urns in the room’s corners, while ornate ceiling plasterwork with fruit swags and medallions, derived from a Kent design, top things off in splendid style.
Erith began work on a second Palladian-style room in 1965, the Bird Room, completed just before Gerald Askew’s death. It’s dedicated to him and features his collection of wildfowl paintings by Philip Rickman, including a portrait of Askew feeding birds. The Bird Room mirrors the Chinese Drawing Room but in a more restrained fashion, as exemplified by the chimney, based on one at Palladio's Villa Maser. Still, the Rickman Gallery contains over 150 watercolours by the Sussex artist and is an impressive addition to Bentley Wildfowl’s many family attractions.
An enfilade runs between the two Palladian rooms, the oval ante-room marking the junction of the old and new house, and through the door is a sitting room with corner fireplace and wave-topped bookcase designed by Erith. The low-beamed dining room boasts fine painted furniture and is one of the oldest in the residence, its table dating to the 17th century, its Venetian grey-green chairs the 18th century.
Such an edifice would be a family day out in itself, but the associated formal gardens are another reason that Bentley Wildfowl impresses as a family attraction. Its venerable yew hedge rows create a series of analogue rooms reflecting the house floorplan, while the informal planting by landscape gardener Jim Russell takes in rare trees and plants, especially roses, including Bourbons, Gallicas and Damasks. The Askews were influenced by gardens visited at Isfield Place, Sissinghurst and Charleston Manor, and they had the fortune to inherit Ginkgo Biloba and Swamp Cypress trees, which remain at the front of the house. Furthermore, in 2006-07, Bentley Wildfowl planted 100 metres of willow tunnels, pathways, domes, arbours, bridges and tunnels, leading to a small island, following the design of local artist Jenny Arran. The 10 willow varieties offer variegated colours and are the latest addition to the core of the estate that Mary Askew opened in 1978.
In its 30th anniversary year, Bentley Wildfowl’s main attractions continue to make it a hot ticket for bird and car lovers alike. In 1962, Gerald Askew visited Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust and, on his return, decided to create his own Wildfowl reserve at Bentley Wildfowl and established it by ordering 20 pairs – namely Swans, Geese and Ducks. A bulldozer excavated a pond in one of the fields and a spring was uncovered in the process. With this water supply, the Bentley Wildfowl Duckery was established, soon attracting Mandarins, Carolinas, Emperor Geese and Black-necked Swans from Australia. The Bentley Wildfowl sanctuary has some 125 of the world’s 147 wildfowl species on its 23 acres, including exotic varieties such as flamingos, cranes and Hawaiian Geese, which are one example of an endangered species brought back from the brink with the help of breeding at Bentley Wildfowl. A visitor’s entry ticket allows access to the whole panoply of birds, as well as to the Education Centre, where visitors and school parties can learn more about their origins and behaviour.
The other nationally-renowned collection that a ticket grants access to is the Bentley Wildfowl Motor Museum, comprising vehicles loaned by owners who wish them to be more widely appreciated. Hence, the collection changes with regular new additions. Most of the vehicles are in working order and road-worthy.
The Bentley Wildfowl Motor Museum was the brainchild of Hugh Stuart-Roberts, who owned numerous venerable motors, classed as Veteran (constructed before the end of 1904), Edwardian (between 1905 and the end of 1914) and Vintage (between 1915 and the end of 1930). They formed the basis for a collection that has grown since, taking in historic cars from all eras, not least a 1934 BMW 315, 1927 Minerva, 1909 Alldays & Onions, 1987 Lamborghini Countach and 1992 Diablo, 1953 Jaguar XK 120, 1985 DMC DeLorean, 1937 Lagonda Rapide, 1937 Derby Bentley, 1950 Frazer Nash Mille Miglia and 1987 Benetton F-1 racing car.
A dazzling display, but that’s not the end of Bentley Wildfowl’s charm, for the list of family attractions making it such a grand family day out continues with a mixed woodland that formed part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s estate in the 17th Century. Taking in a dozen acres of picturesque circular paths (for which a leaflet is available at the Information Centre and in boxes at the entrance), Glyndebourne Woods provides a relaxing perambulation through conifers and deciduous trees, sunny glades and, in May, reams of bluebells. There’s also an Ancient Buildings Trail with a number of authentic reconstructions of ancient buildings, erected by the East Sussex Archaeology & Museums Partnership. These include Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Saxon huts based on archaeological findings and are a fascinating diversion.
The same can be said of a new trail with interactive boards that makes learning about wildlife a fun element in a family day out to Bentley Wildfowl, and that’s reinforced by a childrens' adventure playground, gift shop, and cafe with home-made fare. Indeed, Childrens' Parties are catered for in the former stable block, with a licensed tearoom serving home-made cakes and cream teas. Additionally, there are ample picnic areas and the Woodsman at Bentley Wildfowl stage unique woodland childrens' birthday parties with goody bags. Bentley Wildfowl has disabled facilities and free electric wheelchairs for use on site, meaning that a grand family day out for everyone is ensured.
During School holidays and weekends, added family attractions available with a day ticket include a miniature steam railway manned by volunteers from April to September, and every Sunday in Winter (weather permitting). Other activities that appeal to youngsters include an Easter egg hunt, three orienteering courses and free quiz sheets. Meantime, the oldies can take in the Bentley Wildfowl Shire Barn crafts facility, with resident woodcarvers, a glass engraver, toy maker and others producing wood, glass and leather ware and model ships. Furthermore, the estate is available for weddings and special occasions, while a host of events is held throughout the year, detailed at the Bentley Wildfowl website.