Scything plays a big part in the management of wildflower areas within the garden as an aspect of our sustainability policy, to maintain traditional skills and as an immensely satisfying way of managing our orchards and wildflower areas. See how we use modern Austrian scythes, learn how they are set up and maintained and the way they are used most efficiently.
This is a drop in event and is free with admission.
Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’ but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.
The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.
On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.
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