Peter Meadows Joins Rural Team

The Duchy of Lancaster continues to strengthen its rural team, with the appointment of Peter Meadows as Senior Rural Surveyor for the Crewe Estate in Cheshire.

After graduating from Aberystwyth University with a first-class honours degree in Agriculture in 2016, Peter joined rural business consultancy, Laurence Gould Partnership, where he spent two years helping rural businesses across the South East with their budgeting, business planning, benchmarking and preparation of grant funding applications. In September 2018, he then moved in-house to take up the position of Assistant Estate Manager on the Escrick Park Estate in North Yorkshire. On this 7,500-acre family run estate, Peter was responsible for the management and maintenance of land, properties and infrastructure, including 3,000 acres of in-hand farmland, 35 commercial tenancies and 75 residential properties. In October 2022, Peter became a Trustee of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, where he also serves as a member of the Trust’s Finance and Risk Committee.

A passionate advocate of regenerative farming practices and sustainable land use strategies, Peter joined the Duchy team in April 2024. “I am really excited to be joining the organisation at this exciting stage in its sustainability journey,” he said, “and looking forward to working with tenants to drive this agenda forward. The protection of biodiversity and improvements in the health of our soils are key considerations for anyone farming in the UK today and a vital component of any successful agricultural enterprise.”

Commenting on Peter’s appointment, Duchy Head of Rural Investment Mark Coombs said: “I am delighted to welcome Peter to the team. His business acumen and experience of strategic planning, together with his first-hand experience of farming, will mean that we can offer our tenants the support, advice and guidance they need to help them adapt to the changing agricultural landscape.”

Peter Meadows takes over the management of the Crewe Estate from another of our rural surveyors, Lydia Richards, who is moving over to head up the management of the Duchy’s Lancashire Estates in Myerscough, Salwick, Whitewell and Wyreside.