Southeast England’s Montreal Estate is a thrilling new sporting prospect – and the Purdey Sporting Agency is an ideal way in.
Any seasoned shooting enthusiast seeking a tailored, highly personal shooting trip to remember should have one particular name in their contacts list. The Purdey Sporting Agency is a gateway to some of the finest estates and landscapes in the world: from driven grouse shooting in the UK, to hunts specialising in partridge in Spain and Mallorca, rock pigeon in the Free State of South Africa, or fast-flying eared doves in the Córdoba province of Argentina. Running over 100 bespoke trips a year, it’s a second-to-none service for experiencing some of the finest traditional game hunting the planet has to offer.
Now, the Agency – based at the Purdey Royal Berkshire shooting school – has begun working with an exciting new locale on the winsome Kent/Sussex borders. The Montreal Estate, near the storied town of Sevenoaks, has been in the Green family for the past 11 years. More recently, Rory Green has returned to the family pile, with the intention of developing its shoot into one of the county’s – even the country’s – best.
Both Green and head gamekeeper Lance Barton are keen to instil a simple, if ambitious, remit for Montreal: to make its 2,500 acres, so beatifically located within the Kent Downs (a designated Area of Natural Beauty), synonymous with both high-quality sport and plentiful hospitality, all within a stone’s throw from London.
Purdey sporting agents Gordon Robinson and Matt Smith – experts in the field, who’ve worked with Barton on various projects over the years – were suitably impressed with the potential of the estate, not least the drive and passion of Green and his gamekeeper to realise a bona fide ‘top 10’ shoot.
“The Montreal Estate has captured our attention for being a largely unknown estate with bounds of hidden potential,” says Smith, “which we are sure the owner will be able to unlock with the considerable investment they are putting in and the management team they have in place.”
That’s all grand news for the Purdey Sporting Agency. It will be offering shooting at Montreal Estate this season, with dates available throughout October, November and December – a fine opportunity to afford a ‘front-of-the-queue’ look into an estate we expect to become exceptionally popular in years to come (with the inevitable waiting lists that will bring). “We believe,” Smith continues, “that being able to access this shoot now will stand our clients in great stead, as they get to see the shoot progress as the years go by.”
Days at Montreal will be hosted from its stunning, modern new lodge, with panoramic views of the estate and the wider, rolling expanse of the Kent Downs. It’ll be predominantly a pheasant shoot, with a few partridge currently being trailed for a more substantial release in the 2024/25 season. The terrain is diverse: from open-arable fields to woodland drives and deep, steep-sided valleys, with sport to suit all tastes and levels of experience.
The hospitality aspect is a huge cornerstone of the Montreal Estate philosophy, with either Rory or his father Jules taking dual-host roles, along with Robinson or Smith as Purdey reps. Food-wise, guns can enjoy a traditional shoot breakfast, a break for elevenses and a late lunch; or plump for a more relaxed ‘snacking-style’ take on the day, with a resident field chef prepping refreshments in-between drives.
“It is unusual to find a shoot of such beautiful landscape and relative privacy this close to the capital,” Smith concludes. “Guests can expect a warm welcoming atmosphere, an impressive new shoot lodge, excellent hospitality and plenty of great sport across a hugely varied terrain.”
Catnip for the seasoned sportsperson, then – and all in a day’s work for the Purdey Sporting Agency.
For more information and available dates, visit the Purdey Sporting Agency or contact Sporting Agents Matt Smith (matt.smith@purdey.com) and Gordon Robinson (gordon.robinson@purdey.com) on +44 1491 672900.