Name a field at Abbotts Hall nature reserve

Essex Wildlife Trust launches special auction to name four fields on Colchester-based nature reserve.

Supporters are being offered a truly unique opportunity to leave their mark on one of Essex's most remarkable landscapes, as Essex Wildlife Trust launches a special online auction to name four fields at Abbotts Hall nature reserve in Colchester.

From wildflower meadows to coastal marshes, every corner of Abbotts Hall has a story to tell. Now, for the first time, supporters can become part of that story by bidding at auction for the naming rights to four fields on the estate.

Abbotts Hall is the head office of Essex Wildlife Trust. It links together over 3,000 acres of wildlife-rich land along a 25km stretch of Essex coast. The nature reserve is situated on the Blackwater Estuary, an internationally important area for wildlife. The 700-acre site was previously a working farm. This nature reserve is now in the process of being 'rewilded' to create bountiful new habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.

Your chance to become part of the next chapter

The auction, kindly hosted by Probate.Auction, will be online on 14 October at 2pm. All proceeds will go towards Essex Wildlife Trust's mission of protecting and restoring wildlife across the county.

Whether it's a name inspired by skylarks, wildflowers and estuary wildlife, a tribute to a loved one, or a family legacy that can be enjoyed for years to come, successful bidders will be able to choose a meaningful name for their field.

The field names will be displayed on signage at Abbotts Hall, allowing visitors to see and enjoy the chosen names once the nature reserve becomes accessible to the public later this year.

While the naming rights do not confer ownership of the land, they offer a connection to one of Essex Wildlife Trust's most important conservation sites.

All proposed names will be subject to approval by Essex Wildlife Trust and must be suitable for public display. Please read the full terms and conditions below.

How to take part:

Click the 'I want to find out more' button below to see the full details of the unnamed fields available.
On the page, you can click 'Register to bid' on any of the field lots.
Select the online live auction at 2pm on 14 October.
Register for Probate.Auction. The website will take you through the steps.

I want to find out more

All fields available to auction and more information are available through the above link.

Click here for the full Terms & Conditions.

If you have any questions about the auction, please contact fundraise@essexwt.org.uk

Map of fields with boundaries around the four fields where the names are up for auction.

Frequently asked questions

Do I own a field if I am successful at auction?

The naming opportunity does not confer ownership, tenancy, access rights, management rights, sporting rights, grazing rights, or any other legal interest in the land. Please read our full terms and conditions.

Can I visit the field I name?

While there is public access to the site and footpaths nearby, the actual fields are protected from public access due to sensitive conservation work. You'll be able to walk right up to the field boundary and see your named field!

Can anyone take part in the auction?

Yes. But you need to register in advance in order to be able to bid on the day. Please read the full terms and conditions before participating.

You can watch the live auction without taking part. Just visit Probate.Auction on 14 October.

Are there any additional fees?

As this is a charity auction, the usual auctioneer administration fee of £1,850+VAT is not applicable. This is standard wording on Probate.Auction's website, and will not be added to this auction. You will only pay the amount you bid if you are successful.

Is Abbotts Hall nature reserve re-opening?

We’re pleased to say that Abbotts Hall will reopen this year. We know that our members, donors, stakeholders and funders are looking forward to visiting the site again and we thank everyone for their patience. Thanks to the support of funders, there will be new signage & interpretation, upgraded bird hides and new conservation projects to showcase. Routes across the site have also been re-mapped to take account of the East Coast path opening and our incredible volunteers have been making the gardens even more beautiful. Work is ongoing so we will be restricting access initially to ensure it is safe and to cater for the practicalities, but it won’t be long until the site is fully open.

Read about the updates for Abbotts Hall here.

Why did Abbotts close?

Essex Wildlife Trust took the difficult decision to close the site to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic to facilitate habitat restoration, infrastructure upgrades, and conservation grazing management safely. Access for the general public was temporarily restricted while the site remained active as the Trust's headquarters.