A sprawling rural estate that is up for sale for the first time in more than 100 years — with over 1,700 acres on offer and a £50 million price tag
Penny Churchill takes a look at the prestigious Exning Estate near Newmarket, famed for its equine history and multiple farming, residential and renewable channels.


The sale of the prestigious 1,776-acre Exning Estate at Exning, 2 miles north of Newmarket on the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire border, represents a unique opportunity to acquire, for the first time in more than 100 years, ‘an outstanding multi-faceted rural estate’, says Alex Lawson of selling agents Savills, who quotes a guide price of £50 million for the estate as a whole, or in 18 individual lots.
The sale follows the death last year, at the age of 94, of the estate’s sporting owner, Simon Gibson, who was known throughout the area as a passionate supporter of racing and a generous benefactor of innumerable good causes through the charity he established in 1975 —among them the East Anglian Air Ambulance, Ely Cathedral, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Gibson School of Music at King’s School, Ely.
He also led the funding for TheNewmarket Stallion, a landmark 15ft-high statue by Lady Marcia Astor that stands on the roundabout near the town’s July Course, which he unveiled in 2000.
The Exning Estate was acquired in 1919 by Mr Gibson’s great-uncle, William James Tatum, later Lord Glanely, a ship owner from Cardiff who made his fortune shipping Welsh coal to Italy and bringing grain back to Europe via the Black Sea ports.
A lifelong lover of the sport of kings, he bought the estate to house his stable of racing and breeding stock—among them his 1919 Derby winner, Grand Parade, which is buried in the grounds. Lord Glanely was killed in the Second World War leaving no surviving heir, whereupon the estate passed to the Gibson family.
Over the years, the Exning Estate has evolved into a dynamic country estate with an impressive mix of farming, residential, equestrian, renewable and commercial assets. The residential portfolio includes a total of 61 houses let on a variety of tenancy agreements, producing a total rental income of £536,000 a year.
The principal house, now in need of some updating, is the 8000sq ft Landwade Hall, a mainly 20th-century building incorporating parts of a post-medieval manor house with a Grade II-listed, 15th-century barn, a private church, a farmhouse, cottages and farm buildings, the whole set in 257 acres of gardens, beautifully-fenced parkland, paddocks and woodland—on offer at a guide price of £8 million.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The estate, which is farmed in-hand, comprises 1,000 acres growing wheat, barley, oilseed rape and sugar beet with farm houses, buildings and storage at the 663-acre Gravel Pit Farm (guide price £9m) and the 213-acre Grass Plant Farm, an arable unit with farm buildings and two cottages, on offer at £2.6 m. A beef enterprise at Landwade farm comprises a suckler herd of 120 cows and followers.
The woodland and shelter belts on the estate, along with strategically planted game covers, form the basis of a locally-renowned mixed lowland shoot.
A diverse commercial portfolio, generating a gross rental income of around £1.172m, includes the site of the world-famous Rossdales Equine Hospital; three let studs and a DIY livery business; a 155-acre solar farm; industrial lettings of former aircraft hangars; retail property in Newmarket; plus garages, sports pitches and telecoms masts. The estate is available either as a going concern or as a sale of the property assets owned by the Exning Estate Company Limited.
Mr Gibson was a man of many interests, but racing was undoubtedly his great love.
Having inherited not only his great-uncle’s estate and business acumen, but also his famous racing colours, he saw success on the racecourse with horses trained at James Fanshawe’s Pegasus stables in Newmarket, the best of which was Society Rock, a winner at three, four, five and six years, at Ascot, Royal Ascot, Haydock and York, before retiring to stud in Ireland in 2013.
The Exning Estate is currently on the market via Savills with a guide price of £50 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Exning: What you need to know
Location: On the Suffolk/Cambridge border, roughly 12 miles from Cambridge and just 2 miles from Newmarket.
Atmosphere: The village is home to the Exning Cricket Club, a hotel and several pubs. Newmarket offers further day-to-day amenities.
Things to do: Neighbouring Newmarket has long been considered as one of the top international headquarters of thoroughbred horse racing and breeding, with the Newmarket Racecourse drawing in crowds every year. Cambridge offers a variety of shops, restaurants plus cultural and historical connections.
Schools: Exning Primary School is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted and the Paddocks Primary School and Laureate Community Academy are rated 'good.'
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
'The watch is Head Boy of men’s accessorising': Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin's Summer Season style secrets
When it comes to dressing for the Season, accessories will transform an outfit. Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin, both stylish summer-party veterans, offer some sage advice.
By Country Life Published
-
Lewis Hamilton, Claude Monet and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 29, 2025
Tuesday's Quiz of the Day looks back at Lewis Hamilton's first win and ponders on the meaning of greige.
By Toby Keel Published
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealed
New research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
By Annabel Dixon Last updated
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of England
Come for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
By James Fisher Published
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producers
Stormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in Kent
North Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streets
This six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
By James Fisher Published
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive street
Winnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated