What we do

Combe Estate is a 4000 acre rural estate located in the heart of the east Devon countryside near to Honiton and surrounding the village of Gittisham.

The Estate has a substantial portfolio of let property including farms, residential and commercial property.  In addition the estate runs forestry, farming and sporting enterprises.

Combe Estate – Its Objectives and Role in the Community

Combe Estate takes its role in the community extremely seriously.  Being Custodian of what is quite a large part of the East Devon Countryside, most of which falls within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a great responsibility. The Trustees of the estate have set objectives which represent what is best for the estate itself, its environs and heritage, the Marker family as well as those people living and working upon it.


Objectives

The Trustees are committed to the following objectives:-

The overriding aim is to hand on to the next generation an estate which is improved and is able to subsist for many generations.

The Trustees are committed to investment into the agricultural holdings which are the core element of the estate to ensure that the farms are capable of sustaining vibrant and commercial businesses for the tenants, their families and employees. 

  • We annually commit a proportion of estate income to invest into our farms to ensure that they remain viable and sustainable wherever possible

The Trustees strive to ensure that our residential properties are well maintained and offer opportunity for local families to live and work in the area.

The Trustees are committed to expanding the in-hand businesses wherever possible to provide employment in the local community.  

  • We are currently exploring the possibility of expanding the woodland and forestry enterprise to meet the growing demand for locally sourced wood products such as wood chip as a fuel for new green heating systems.

Environmental initiatives which enhance the local flora and fauna are embraced.

  • For Example Gittisham Hill has been the subject of a sustained plan of improvement to enhance the habitat for threatened species of birds, reptiles and insects.

The objectives of the Trustees and the estate will continue to evolve as the estate moves into the future and prepares itself for inevitable change and meeting the challenges that advances in technology and the demands of an increasing world population present.