About Us
Welcome to Ballingham Court — a fifth-generation family farm nestled in the heart of the Wye Valley. Run by Henry and Esther Rudge alongside their son Monty, the farm has been in Esther’s family for over 100 years. With a deep respect for the land and a commitment to sustainable farming, Ballingham Court is home to cattle, sheep, orchards, crops, and thriving wildlife habitats. Here, tradition meets innovation, and every season brings something new to share.
175
Hectares Mixed Farm
4
Kilometres of hedgerow
140
kW of solar power
100
% of apples handpicked
5
Generations of farmers
Environment
Ballingham Court has been involved in environmental schemes for over 20 years; planting and restoring over 4km of hedgerows, managing buffer strips and floristic margins, planting bird covers and 4 hectares of woodland. The land directly adjoining the Wye is kept is all low input grassland. To prevent soil erosion and help with carbon capture, green cover crops are planted after maize harvest and grazed by the sheep.
Awards
Ballingham Court has been recognised for its sustainable, family-run farming with several notable awards. In 2020, we won Farmers Weekly Mixed Farm of the Year, Environmental Champion, and the Three Counties Family Run Farm award. We’ve also been named Wye Valley AONB Farm of the Year three times and received the National Hereford Suckler Herd of the Year in 2015.
Farming and Faith
Henry and Esther feel greatly blessed to live and work in such a beautiful location, they plant and tend the crops but they know that it is God that gives life. They hope that during your stay you will enjoy God’s glorious creation as much as they do.
