Shire Horses take Ham House Meadow back in time
Operation Centaur’s magnificent shire horses and their handlers will be bringing history to life at Ham House this month, when they come to mow our unique flower meadow on 22nd and 23rd September. Cutting the meadow in this traditional fashion helps maintain the ideal conditions for native wildflowers to flourish, while reducing environmental impact and conserving natural habitats. In this way National Trust’s Ham House team are aiming to increase the variety of flowering plants such as meadow saxifrage and yellow rattle, and using horses to mow also means less compaction on softer areas of the meadow, especially those that often flood during high tides.
We are delighted to be able to employ London’s last herd of working shire horses to mow our meadow. Come along on the day to see the horses in action, talk to staff and volunteers and find out more about the Ham House estate; bring your camera!
