Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum |
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| Location | Halland |
| OS grid reference | TQ4858715914 |
| Area | East Sussex |
| Built |
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| Architect | Extension: Raymond Erith |
| Architectural style(s) | Extension: Palladian |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Bentley Farm, with attached walls and gate piers. | |
| Designated | 26 November 1963 |
| Reference no. | 1192009 |
The Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum was a popular place to visit in East Sussex, England. It was located near a village called Halland. This museum and park closed its doors to visitors in October 2018.
Contents
History of Bentley Estate
The Bentley house was bought by Gerald and Mary Askew in 1937. After the Second World War, the couple worked on improving the house and its gardens. They also started a special collection of wild birds.
Expanding the House and Gardens
The Askews added two large rooms to each end of the original house. These rooms were built in the Palladian style, which is a classic and grand design. After Gerald Askew passed away in 1970, Mary decided to give most of the estate to the people of East Sussex.
Mary Askew continued to live in a part of the house. The rest of the estate was then developed into a fun place for tourists to visit.
Changes in Ownership
By 2004, the costs to run the Bentley estate became very high. The East Sussex Council offered to sell the property back to the Askew family. If the family did not buy it, the council would sell it to anyone on the open market.
The Askews decided to buy the estate back. They then placed it into a special trust. This trust helps manage the property for its future.
Wildfowl Collection
In 1962, the Askews began their collection of wildfowl. They were inspired by a local artist named Philip Rickman. They also visited the Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge, which is famous for its bird collections.
A pond was dug in a field nearby that was not good for farming. This pond became home to their new bird collection. The collection grew to include 125 different types of wildfowl. There are 147 known species of wildfowl in total.
Motor Museum
In 1982, a motor museum opened at the Bentley site. It was started by Hugh Stuart-Roberts. The museum displayed many different vehicles. Most of these vehicles were owned by private collectors. They were loaned to the museum for people to see. The very first car shown at the museum was a 1928 Minerva.
