Orchis mascula
Early Purple Orchid
Found in Ruston Cow Pasture which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
There are a number of Statutory Designations assigned to land and structures on
the Dawnay Estates. These range from SAMs (Scheduled Ancient Monuments), SSSIs (Sites
of Special Scientific Interest) and Listed Buildings.
The number of SAM’s on the Estate are many and range from 18th Century Rabbit Warrens
to the walls of the Cistercian Abbey Wall at Wykeham Abbey plus over 100 Iron and
Bronze age burial mounds still visible, with many others having disappeared over
the years because of previous ignorance and farming and forestry operations.
Danby Castle is one of the finest and largest pieces of SAM on the Estate and can
be visited by appointment with the tenant, www.danbycastle.com
The Estate has two SSSI’s within its boundaries, though these make up nearly half
of the Estates land area. The Danby Moors is an important breeding ground for ground
nesting birds as well as having a unique native fauna unique to the UK. The Estate
also manages in conjunction with its tenant, Ruston Cottage Cow Pasture, 43 acres
of traditional pasture land, grazed on an extensive basis in order to preserve the
native flora.
There are over 50 Listed Buildings and structures that the Estate cares for and
maintains, the majority are Grade 2 listed but some are 2* and Danby castle is Grade
1 listed. This gives the Estate Maintenance team some unique problems in the repair
of these buildings, many of the techniques used, not having changed since the buildings
were constructed!