Our Story
History of Oteley Estate
The Oteley Estate has remained in the family since the 1500s. Today it is run by Ian and Clare Mainwaring with the support of Ian's father Robert.
After attending the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, Ian returned to his family farm 20 years ago to continue the family’s heritage on the 2,000-acre estate.
Clare comes from a farming background in Newport, Shropshire. After graduating, Clare worked outside of farming before the couple joined forces. Ian and Clare met at Young Farmers and the rest is history!
Ian and Clare are supported by a loyal dedicated team working behind the scenes.
"Our team's collective experience and years of dedication is reflected in the business."
"During our time at the helm we have increased the size of the arable that we farm, expanded the suckler herd and introduced the Highlands – which are adored by the local community. We now have 50 highland cattle, which will grow next year."
"We live on the estate with our children Emily and Adam who love helping with the young calves. The meat from our commercial suckler herd goes to supermarkets and well-known food chains."
"Looking to the future we want to move the business forward by increasing our direct sales to consumers whilst preserving the long history at Oteley, and keeping it as a family-run business."
"We would love to help educate people so they better understand agricultural life, the countryside and what British famers are striving to achieve. We want people to understand not only where their meat comes from, but also its journey and why it is important to choose quality products produced close to home."
The Oteley Estate may have first been imparked as early as the 14th Century, with the park itself recorded on 16thand 17th Century county maps. The house at Oteley overlooks the mere, but it wasn’t the original house, in fact there were at least two before it.
In the early Tudor period Sir Francis Kynaston’s great-great-grandfather married the heiress to the estate at Oteley, which gave his grandfather Francis sufficient status to be returned as a knight for Shropshire in 1554.
Sir Francis Kynaston was the most notable member of the Kynaston family and he was acquainted with both James I and Charles I, for whom he served as ‘Esquire of the Body’, a position of great influence. When war did break out Oteley became a Royalist stronghold.
By the 1780s the male line of Kynastons died out, and the heiress, Mary, married James Mainwaring of Bromborough, Cheshire. His grandson was Charles Kynaston Mainwaring (1803-61), who inherited the estate shortly before his marriage in 1832, and became a much-respected landlord and magistrate, well known for his charity work with the poor.
In 1826-1830 a neo-Elizabethan stone mansion was built for Charles Kynaston Mainwaring, who tore down the half-timbered Tudor house that stood before that. He is said to have designed the stunning gardens after he was inspired by Italian gardens on a continental tour during his honeymoon.
By 1900 the estate was also home to 80 fallow deer and 20 red deer. Some structures within the grounds remain that were built with Grinshill stone and red sandstone from the local area.
Since Charles Kynaston Mainwaring, the Oteley estate has been passed down the generations, with Ian and Clare Mainwaring currently at the helm.