Mystery of human bones at Burrough Hill 
Farmer Nigel's Royal Appointment :: The Trust's Estates in Leicestershire
The Little Dalby Estate
5,600 acres
The Little Dalby Estate, three miles south of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is the Trust's largest and, in many ways, its most complete estate. Extending to 5,600 acres, the estate was purchased in two parts by Ernest Cook, the northern half from the Burns Harttop family in 1938 and the southern half from Brasenose College in 1940. A further 480 acres comprising Grange Farm, Leesthorpe was purchased in 1977 with an additional 280 acres forming Jericho Farm being purchased in 2000.
The principal house, Little Dalby Hall, is relatively small and compact following extensive demolition after the war and subsequent modernisation. The house is surrounded by parkland and grassland and is in a most attractive area of high Leicestershire; outside this inner ring the heavy soil is, thanks to modern and powerful machinery, highly productive wheat land.
Following the Trustees’ policy of farm amalgamation and its desire to encourage the policy of family succession, there are currently five farming tenants on the estate from an original 19 holdings in 1952. Up until 1982 a number of farm houses and cottages were sold off the estate but, with the change in housing legislation, the Trustees resisted the temptation to sell off further surplus farm houses and cottages. Over the past 25 years, the properties have been modernised and improved to provide an important source of income. There are now 37 let houses and cottages on the estate.
The Little Dalby Estate was the pioneer of the Trustees’ policy of establishing in-hand farmers’ shoots on the estates in conjunction with the farm tenants; the success of the Dalby shoot is helped by their enthusiasm.
Nearly one-third of the estate is now within the Countryside Stewardship or Higher Level Schemes (schemes which help safeguard the environment) covering the central and southern parts of the estate around Rise Hill and Burrough Hill, together with one organic dairy farm.
The new wetland area of the River Eye (an important Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the adjoining land continues to be affected by the Melton Mowbray Flood Alleviation Scheme and the whole of the central and northern part of the estate is within the River Eye Catchment Sensitive Farming Scheme.
The Trustees’ policy of encouraging appropriate public access was first started in 1974 on the Little Dalby Estate with the establishment of the permissive path from Little Dalby to the Burrough on the Hill Iron Age fort, a country park let by ECT to Leicestershire County Council.
Much of the local footpath network is featured in nationally available guide books.
Mystery of human bones at Burrough Hill 
An exciting discovery was made during excavations at the Trust-owned Burrough Hill this summer, when archaeologists unearthed ancient human remains.
In the final week of the dig a skeleton was found within a stone cairn, buried beneath the main entrance to the site of the Iron Age hill fort on ECT’s Little Dalby estate in Leicestershire.
The remains are now being examined by experts but John Thomas, project officer with the University of Leicester archaeology team, said: “It’s early days yet, but we can say that the individual is a young male, aged between 18 and 22, and there are no obvious signs to indicate cause of death.
“Hopefully he’ll give up a few more secrets as we analyse the skeleton more fully.”
The team also excavated an area outside the hill fort and found evidence of an extra-mural settlement, including a series of roundhouses. Further excavation will give clues as to when the houses were occupied, and a fuller understanding of the overall site’s history.
A grant from ECT has funded an education officer to work with local schools, allowing pupils to visit the excavations.
Burrough Hill is one of the most important archaeological sites in central Britain, and the excavations have caused quite a stir.
In September the site featured on the popular BBC 2 programme Digging for Britain and open days and guided walks around the hill fort attracted hundreds of visitors last summer.
To find out more about the Burrough Hill dig, click here
Royal appointment for organic farmer Nigel
Dairy farmer Nigel Kirk was treated to a Royal appointment with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, on a visit to Melton Mowbray early in 2011.
Mr Kirk who runs Wilds Lodge Farm with his sister Julie on the Little Dalby Estate, was among guests invited to meet the royal couple during their tour of the Long Clawson Dairy, which celebrated the dairy’s centenary.
The Kirks, whose family have run Wilds Lodge Farm since 1932, have the distinction of being the only organic farm to supply milk to the well-known cheesemakers. Milk from 130 cows in their herd goes to make the company’s Organic Blue Stilton cheese.
They also supply milk for Organic Red Leicester cheese under the Duchy Originals brand, which was established by Prince Charles to promote organic food and farming.
“It’s such a privilege to have the opportunity to meet the royal couple,” said Nigel Kirk. “It was a real shock to be invited.”
Nicholas Ford said: “We are absolutely delighted that Nigel and Julie are achieving the recognition they deserve. They have put so much hard work into developing their dairy farm as an organic milk supplier.”