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Revesby Estate Case Study

| | Duncan & Toplis | 2 July 2020

The Revesby Estate sits in the heart of rural Lincolnshire, close to the market town of Horncastle. Dating back to 1143, it only became a private estate in 1539 when King Henry VIII gifted it to his brother-in-law. Its current custodians, the Wiggins-Davies family, can point to 300 years of unbroken family ownership since their ancestor Sir Joseph Banks purchased the Estate in 1714.

Today the Estate consists of 6,350-acres of arable farmland, grassland for livestock and silage, renewable energy production, residential and commercial property lettings, corporate hospitality, a deer park, a thriving forestry business and fisheries.

As clients of Duncan & Toplis for almost a decade, Peter Wiggins-Davies and his father Gavin are working hard to realise the value of their many assets alongside their real mission; to protect and improve the 1,000-year-old Estate’s natural environment, its historic assets and its local community and culture.

“We are open-minded and enthusiastic about all new growth opportunities,” explains Peter Wiggins-Davies. “We are not a museum or a charity, so we need the income to be able to realise our non-financial objectives. The key is to regard our history as a springboard from which to innovate and diversify for long-term, sustainable growth.”

The Estate has just completed an intensive, five-year growth plan thanks to the help of David Gratton, director in the Duncan & Toplis agriculture team.

“Duncan & Toplis have played a critical role,” said Peter, “sitting on our board, aiding with strategy and offering crucial operational advice. We have a strong relationship with Duncan & Toplis and feel we can always rely on them as a source of trusted business advice and as a sounding board for future ideas.”

These future plans include land expansion and even greater diversification to capitalise on rapidly changing technologies in agriculture. However, the family values Duncan & Toplis’ personal approach to their work just as much, as David Gratton explains.

“Our work is about more than just finance; it’s about people. When supporting any family business, it is important to have a clear understanding of the dynamics involved and the long-term objectives. We’re helping the Wiggins-Davies family to maximise the value of their assets in ways that are aligned with their values. Peter is a driven businessman and a true custodian - he wants to leave the Estate stronger for the next generation. We’re helping him to make this happen, from putting the best financial structures in place to undertaking sensible, tax-efficient succession planning so that Revesby remains a thriving rural enterprise for generations to come.”

For more details visit revesbyestate.co.uk.

 

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