Easton Walled Gardens

Visit Easton; Grantham; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Visit Easton is seeking a practical Groundskeeper & Maintenance Handyperson to maintain the Easton Estate grounds and gardens. Role combines lawn care, hedge work, fencing repair and general upkeep of historic buildings and outdoor spaces.

You will work across the estate, performing carpentry, painting and joinery tasks as needed, while contributing to seasonal maintenance and event preparation. A full driving licence and physical fitness are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in grounds maintenance or estate work.
• Experience using ride-on and pedestrian mowers safely.
• Practical ability in repairs, carpentry and general maintenance.
• Good understanding of tools and machinery care.
• Full driving licence required.
• Able to work year-round in outdoor conditions.

Responsibilities

• Maintain grounds and gardens across the estate.
• Mow formal and informal lawns; hedge shaping and edging.
• Repair fencing, paint outbuildings, basic joinery tasks.
• Assist with estate improvement projects as priorities change.
• Keep paths, courtyards and entrances tidy and presented.
• Report larger repairs requiring external contractors.
• Ensure safety and practical maintenance of estate features.

Skills

Grounds maintenance

Estate work

Carpentry basics

Tool care

Full driving licence

Physical fitness

Attention to detail

Self-organisation

Historic property experience

Education

Formal horticultural qualifications

Trade qualifications (carpentry, building)

Tools

Ride-on mower operation

Pedestrian mower operation

Strimmer use

Carpentry tools

Job description

The team at the Easton Estate is closely-knit and community-driven. Together, we’re responsible for nurturing the natural spaces of the valley, sustainably managing our land and maintaining our long-standing buildings. Set between Grantham and Stamford and close to Oakham and Bourne, the gardens are easy to reach via the A1.

Our team create the refreshing experiences our visitors and guests love, curate carefully selected products for the Courtyard shop, cultivate crops and rear livestock, and manage our ancient woodlands.

This is a place where the local environment and the people that care for it grow together.

Current vacancies:

Grounds and Maintenance Handyperson.

Full Time Position, salary dependant on experience.

Easton is a historic, privately owned rural estate near Grantham in Lincolnshire. At its heart are Easton Walled Gardens, a 12-acre garden surrounded by historic limestone walls, which has been restored over the past 25 years and is open to visitors during the season.

The wider estate includes historic buildings, cottages, gardens, woodland, farmland and landscaped grounds. It is a varied and attractive working environment where the care of the landscape and buildings matters and where practical skills can make a visible difference.

We are a relatively small team, so this role would suit someone who enjoys taking responsibility for their own area of work, likes variety and takes satisfaction in keeping a place looking exceptionally well cared for. Rather than carrying out the same task every day, the successful candidate will work across the estate, moving between grounds maintenance, gardening, repairs and practical improvement projects as the seasons and priorities change.

The Role

We are looking for a practical, capable and self-motivatedGroundskeeper & Maintenance Handyperson to help maintain the grounds and gardens of Easton Estate.

This is a hands-on role combining high-quality grounds maintenance with general estate and property maintenance. One day might involve mowing formal lawns and maintaining ornamental hedges; another might involve repairing fencing, painting an outbuilding, carrying out a small joinery repair or tidying an area ahead of visitors or an event.

A high standard of presentation is important. We are looking for someone who notices when something needs attention and, where appropriate, gets on with putting it right.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working independently but will also form part of the wider gardens and estate team.

Key Responsibilities

Grounds & Turf Maintenance

• Ride-on mowing of formal and informal grass areas across the estate.
• Pedestrian mowing of formal lawns and areas requiring a finer finish.
• Strimming around buildings, boundaries, trees, paths and other areas inaccessible to mowers.
• Maintaining lawn edges and repairing worn or damaged turf.
• Keeping grassed areas, verges and estate grounds neat and well-presented throughout the season.
• Safe operation and day-to-day care of mowing and grounds-maintenance machinery.
• Cutting and shaping a variety of hedge species, including ornamental hedging, to a high standard.
• Hand-weeding and maintaining rose beds within the Walled Garden.
• Assisting the garden team with seasonal maintenance when required.
• Maintaining paths, edges and surrounding areas to ensure a consistently high standard of presentation.
• Undertaking other practical gardening and grounds tasks according to the season.
• Repairing and maintaining estate fencing, gates and other boundary structures.
• Carrying out straightforward building and property maintenance.
• Painting and maintaining fences, gates, outbuildings and other estate structures.
• Undertaking basic carpentry and joinery repairs.
• Carrying out minor structural and practical repairs to keep estate buildings and facilities secure, functional and presentable.
• Identifying maintenance issues and reporting larger or specialist repairs where an outside contractor is required.
• Assisting with practical estate improvement projects as required.
• Regular sweeping and cleaning of paths, patios, entrances and courtyard areas.
• Keeping work areas, stores and estate grounds tidy and organised.
• Washing and carrying out basic upkeep of estate vehicles when required.
• Monitoring and carrying out appropriate basic pest control around the estate.
• Using estate vehicles to collect fuel, materials and supplies.
• Assisting with moving equipment, materials and other items around the estate.
• Helping prepare outdoor areas for visitors, events or other estate activities when required.
• Supporting the wider estate and gardens team with practical tasks as priorities change.

Skills & Experience

• Previous practical experience in grounds maintenance, estate work, commercial gardening or a comparable outdoor role.
• Experience using ride-on mowers, pedestrian mowers and strimmers safely and competently.
• Practical ability in general repairs, maintenance, carpentry, joinery, building work or a related trade.
• A good understanding of how to use and care for tools and machinery.
• A full driving licence.
• Good physical fitness and the ability to undertake practical outdoor work throughout the year.
• A strong eye for detail and a high personal standard of tidiness and presentation.
• The ability to organise your own workload and complete jobs without supervision.
• Experience working on a private estate, historic property, visitor attraction, large garden or similarly varied site.
• Experience maintaining formal lawns and ornamental hedging.
• Competence with a wider range of grounds-maintenance machinery.
• Formal horticultural, groundskeeping, construction or trade qualifications.
• Chainsaw, spraying or other relevant machinery certificates.
• Experience maintaining older or historic buildings and structures.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged in line with the 2010 Equality Act.