Explore the estate at Standen

Hidden history in the landscape

Winter strips the trees bare, revealing clues to the past. Look for old boundary banks, sunken tracks, and the dips of former saw pits and quarries. Frost and low sunlight make these features stand out, telling stories of centuries of woodland work.

Morning magic

Start your day with a walk through crisp air and frosted grass. The steep fields glow in the early light, and spider webs sparkle like jewels. Listen for the gentle chatter of robins and the distant call of a buzzard as the countryside wakes.

Wild visitors and woodland residents

Redwings flock to the meadows in winter, feeding on berries in the hedgerows. Buzzards soar overhead, scanning for prey, while jays stash acorns among the trees. Treecreepers spiral up trunks, and if you’re lucky, you might hear the bark of a muntjac deer or the hoot of an owl at dusk.

Textures and tones of winter

Without summer’s greenery, the woodland’s colours are subtle but beautiful. Smooth silver birch, rugged oak bark, and chestnut coppice stools create a rich tapestry. Mosses and lichens thrive in the damp air, and holly berries add bright splashes of red.

Signs of spring ahead

Even in the cold, life stirs. Hazel catkins dangle from branches, ready to release pollen, and tiny red flowers hide among them. Dog’s mercury stays green through winter, and early snowdrops push through the leaf litter, promising warmer days to come.

Nature detective fun

Bare branches make spotting birds easier, and muddy paths reveal footprints of deer and foxes. Look for broken nut shells wedged in bark by nuthatches, or listen for the rustle of small mammals in the undergrowth. Every track and clue tells a story.

Wildlife at Standen

Integral to the running of a large country house, this land is still managed in the traditional way and is home to a wide variety of wildlife. The woods are home to badgers, roe deer and fallow deer. Discover the badger viewing platform available for public use in the woods and see if you can spot any wildlife.  

Listen out for the sounds of blackbird, chaffinch, chiffchaff, blackcap, magpie, great spotted woodpecker and woodpigeon, all found on the estate. 

Rockinghill Wood 

Twenty-acre Rockinghill Wood is home to spectacular bluebell displays in spring. Ponds are dotted throughout the wood with winding paths making it easy to explore the local wildlife. 

Hollybush Wood 

Situated to the south of the garden with a boardwalk path, Hollybush Wood is perfect for families and dog-walking. Explore ancient deciduous woodland, which grows either side of a small stream. 

Jack and Tommy field 

This ancient meadow has been restored from scrub and is named after two Victorian horses. It is now part of Standen’s woodland walks and home to wildflowers.