Our Founder

John Herbert Strutt 1935 – 2010

In 1994 the late John Herbert Strutt of Eden Place near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria, who had a lifelong interest in wildlife, and in particular butterflies and parrots, took the decision to place his Eden Valley estate in trust for conservation. He transferred the ownership of the farms of Hartley Fold and West View, together with the fields belonging to the Eden Place, to the Trustees of a new charity, the John Strutt Conservation Foundation (JSCF). He himself became Chairman, and so continued until ill health obliged him to stand down shortly before his death in 2010. The Foundation continues as a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Since its creation, it has extended its land holdings near Kirkby Stephen by buying the adjacent farm of Cote Garth with its diverse limestone flora.

In 1997, the Foundation extended its land holdings beyond the Kirkby Stephen area by buying the Hay Bridge Nature Reserve, near Bouth in the southern Lake District. In 2010 this reserve was extended by the purchase of a further 30 hectares of adjacent woodland and meadow, followed by Hulleter Moss in 2016, bringing the total land holdings at Hay Bridge to 94.12 hectares.

The publication “John Herbert Strutt, 1935 – 2010: A Memoir” may be obtained from:

The Upper Eden Visitor Centre
Market Square
Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria
CA17 4QN

Tel: 01768 371199
Email: visit@uecp.org.uk

Other John Strutt Charities

In addition to the John Strutt Conservation Foundation, there are two further Cumbria bases charities:

The John Strutt Charity, which exists to support needy causes in Kirkby Stephen and the surrounding district, and also youth work associated with the Christian Church, and
The John Strutt Centre for Parrot Conservation, whose aim is to promote the conservation of all parrot species and especially those which are endangered in the wild.

To support the work of the Foundation, or of these charities, or to find out more about them, you may wish to contact their agent:

Richard De Robeck FRICS
John G Hills
Estate Office
Leyburn
North Yorkshire DL8 5EW

Tel: 01969 623109
Email: jghills@easynet.co.uk