About us
Balcombe Estate is a 3,500-acre family estate in the High Weald of West Sussex. For over a century, descendants of Lady Denman have cared for its landscape, properties and community with a commitment to responsible stewardship and continuity.
From historic homes and ancient woodland to modern enterprise, the Estate stands as a place of permanence and renewal.
A Potted History
of Balcombe Estate
What is known today as Balcombe Estate comprises 3,500 acres of farmland, ancient woodland and 128 residential and commercial properties — a living landscape at the heart of the village of Balcombe.
Our story began with a clever engineer named Sir Weetman Pearson – who later became The Viscount Cowdray. Weetman was an engineer and designed huge projects such as the Blackwall Tunnel and Southampton Docks. He purchased Balcombe Place and the Estate in 1905 from Edwin Tate of Tate and Lyle sugar, and gave it to his daughter Gertrude Pearson upon her marriage to Lord Denman.
Lady Denman, who recorded one of her hobbies as “bonfires” made Balcombe Place her home in 1914 when she and her husband returned from Australia – after famously naming the capital city, Canberra. Described as ‘an energetic, progressive, liberal, feminist, unorthodox soul,” Lady Denman was a phenomenal woman who fought for women’s rights and pushed the boundaries of society.
In 1917 she became the first President of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, a post she held until 1946. She was also the first Chairman of the Family Planning Association and President of the Ladies Golf Union. (A keen golfer, Lady Denman laid a course where the ninth hole was so close to the plate glass windows of the dining room that her guests were never brave enough to hit the ball hard and she always won).
Lady
Denman
Wartime Years
As Director of the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War, Lady Denman donated Balcombe Place to the cause, allowing it to become the administrative headquarters of the Women’s Land Army. This was a rather clever move as it allowed the house to be protected from the perils of war, yet allowed it to play an important role in the war at home.
In 1933 Lady Denman was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and a Dame Grand Cross (GBE) in 1951.
In 1952, the Estate passed to Lady Denman’s granddaughter, Penelope Burrell, at just twenty-two years old. Upon her marriage to John Richard Greenwood MBE, the livestock of the home farm were presented to her as a wedding gift, a thoughtful way to avoid tax penalties while maintaining the family’s farming tradition.
Following the deaths of Lord and Lady Denman in 1954, Balcombe Place entered a new era, serving successively as a prep school, a conference centre, and later a care home from 1985 until 2017.
Now in her nineties, Penelope Greenwood remains a spirited presence on the Estate. Passionate about the Estate, she continues to oversee Stone Hall Farm well into her later years, only recently persuaded to retire from driving the tractor herself.
The Next
Chapter
Balcombe Place
Reborn
With Balcombe Place narrowly escaping its final chapter as a care home, Penelope’s daughter Fiona Martin took on the task of restoring the house to its former glory. She reimagined it as a private home available for weddings and events, and since reopening in 2018, has hosted hundreds of celebrations — bringing life and laughter back to the house once again.
Today, the Estate is guided by Artie Martin, representing the next generation of stewardship. Her focus is on caring for the Estate’s properties, countryside and community, while ensuring its sustainability for the future.
The Martin family continues to honour the values set by their predecessors — responsibility, innovation and care for the land — ensuring that Balcombe Estate remains a vibrant part of Sussex life for generations to come.
