Welcome to Great Oakley
Great Oakley has been in the ownership of the de Capell Brooke family since 1575. We see ourselves not as owners, but as stewards, looking after the estate for generations to come.
Our family has always found purpose beyond the land. In the 1980s, my late father’s passion for education led to the building of a school for 1,400 pupils here at Great Oakley. The Brooke City Technology College opened its doors in September 1991 and is today the flagship school within the Brooke Weston Trust, with 11 other schools helping to educate over 10,000 students. Sir Norman Foster designed our second school, The Corby Business Academy, and many of our schools have been opened by various Prime Ministers. The Brooke Weston Trust is a non-profit educational charity.
Away from education, the estate thrives through working its farmland, where our dairy herd produces milk for Stilton cheese and our crops supply leading food brands. We also undertake conservation projects, such as the Bescaby Oaks Diamond Wood. Great Oakley has real estate interests in the UK and Ireland, reflecting a broader commitment to the creation and stewardship of thriving communities.
Great Oakley encompasses historic parkland, wildlife habitats, and family homes for rent, continuing a story that stretches back to the Domesday Book. The estate’s work in agriculture, education, and wider community initiatives reflects a commitment to both heritage and the long-term future.
With best wishes,
Alexander de Capell Brooke
Nature and community thrive here
Great Oakley Estate is a place where nature and people live side by side. Ancient trees, open meadows and public footpaths connect the landscape and the community. Conservation isn’t an add on here, it is part of daily life and has been for generations. This is a working countryside where wildlife thrives, neighbours know the land and everyone has a role in looking after it.
The Brooke Weston Trust
A Thousand Years of Land and Community
For over 1,000 years, Great Oakley Estate has shaped both the landscape and the local community. From its medieval origins to modern stewardship, the estate balances working farmland, thriving wildlife, and public access, continuing a tradition of care that has lasted generations.
