Rayleigh office

Office contact details

The Black Barn
Lubards Farm
Hullbridge Road
Rayleigh
Essex
SS6 9QG

Phone: 01268 783377

Email: rayleigh@whirledgeandnott.co.uk

If you are using a SatNav to get here the postcode to use is SS6 9QW

Our Rayleigh Team

Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes

BSc (Hons) FRICS FAAV

Managing Director

Michael is a graduate of Reading University.  He became a Partner of Whirledge & Nott in 1996.  He farms in Colchester where he also manages to combine his twin passions of diversification and conservation in one location.  He is a former Chairman of the Essex Agricultural Society and President of the Essex Agricultural Valuers.  He lives in Layer de la Haye with his two rugby mad sons.

Kate Jennings

Kate Jennings

MSc MRICS FAAV MRTPI

Head of Planning and Rural

Kate is a chartered town planner, chartered surveyor and registered agricultural valuer.  Kate joined Whirledge & Nott in 1997 and became a Director in 2014.  She provides general practice advice, specialising in planning and rural matters.  Kate heads up the Rural Planning team with diversification expertise and successful planning enforcement work.  She is the past President of the Essex Agricultural Valuers Association.

David Milbourn

David Milbourn

MSc MRICS

Head of Valuation and Renewables

David is a graduate of the University of Plymouth and the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.  He joined Whirledge & Nott in 2000 and became a Director in 2014.  He provides general practice advice and heads up the Valuation and Renewables teams.  David also administers the Rochford Hundred Ploughing Match in his spare time.  He lives in Chelmsford with his wife and two children.

Anthony Hicks

Anthony Hicks

BSc (Hons) MRICS

Head of Commercial

Anthony graduated from Seale Hayne in 2005 and heads up the Commercial team in our Rayleigh office.  He joined Whirledge & Nott in 2005 and became a Director in 2017.  He lives near Colchester with his wife and family and administers the local farm competitions.

Matt Gill

Matt Gill

BSc

Development Director

Matt graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2006 having studied part-time whilst completing the Weston Homes Management Trainee scheme.  He has over 20 years’ experience working for developers and house builders and spent 6 years as Development Executive for Crest Nicholson. 

He joined the Development Team at Whirledge & Nott in 2018 and joined the Board of Directors in 2023. 

He lives in rural north Essex where he built his family home and lives with his wife and two children.  He is a very keen sailor having represented his country at numerous World and European championships.

Freddie Botfield

Freddie Botfield

BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV

Head of Utilities

Freddie graduated with a Rural Enterprise and Land Management degree from Harper Adams University and joined Whirledge & Nott in 2015.  He was appointed associate director in 2021. 

He enjoys the diversity and challenges of general practice.  Growing up on a farm combined with his professional expertise means Freddie is ideally placed to offer sound property advice and services to those within the rural sector and beyond.

Freddie lives in North Essex with his wife and son.

Millie Hurrell

Millie Hurrell

Head of Management
(Maternity Leave)

Millie attended Reading University and joined Whirledge & Nott in 2015.  She was appointed associate director in 2021.  She helped to set up the Habitat Database, has managed a significant national infrastructure project and her rural background has proved invaluable when helping clients with their BPS. 

Millie heads up the commercial management team and is responsible for running and administering industrial estates and multi occupied rural estates. 

She lives near Cambridge and enjoys walks on the farm with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Martin Jordan

Martin Jordan

BSc (Hons) MRICS

Head of Development

Martin graduated at Reading University with first class honours where he specialised in planning and development.  He has over 30 years’ experience in the property industry working both as residential developer and agent. 

He joined forces with Whirledge & Nott in October 2010 to head up the Development Agency department.  He lives in Leigh-on-Sea with his wife and three children.

Hannah Buckenham

Hannah Buckenham

BSc (Hons)

Head of Environment

Hannah heads up the Whirledge & Nott Environment department. 

Hannah joined Whirledge & Nott in 2021 having spent 10 years in the City managing projects for Ernst & Young, Barclays and Accenture after graduating from Warwick University with a degree in Management.  As a Board Member of the Essex Local Nature Partnership, Hannah plays a key part in addressing issues of sustainability and biodiversity loss. 

Outside of work Hannah is a competitive polo player and lives on the family farm in Basildon.

Caroline Homewood

Caroline Homewood

LLB (Hons)

Practice Manager

Prior to joining Whirledge & Nott in 2017, Caroline practiced as a commercial property solicitor. Caroline now manages Whirledge & Nott and has a seat on the main board. Her role is to focus on maintaining quality to the benefit of our clients and oversee the continuing growth of the firm.

Caroline was formerly a partner at Tolhurst Fisher solicitors. Her property background and extensive legal knowledge make her perfectly placed for the role.

She lives with her husband and two children in Colchester

Jess Archer

Jess Archer

BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV

Associate Director

Jess joined Whirledge & Nott in 2014 and was appointed associate director in 2023.  Jess is a rural land expert, specialising in planning, diversification, valuations and RPA subsidies.

Jess is an examiner for the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) and is a keen long-distance runner.  

Jess lives in Tiptree with her daughter.

Rhega-Mai Ward

Rhega-Mai Ward

MA (Hons) MA MSc MRICS

Associate

Scholar and former head of school, Rhega-Mai is a graduate of the Universities of St Andrews, Maastricht, and College of Estate Management.  She joined Whirledge & Nott in 2017 and completed her MSc in Real Estate at UCEM and Assessment of Professional Competence.  

She is involved in all areas of general practice, but is particularly interested in Development and Renewables.  

Rhega is a member of the Essex Ladies in Business.

Grace Gardiner

Grace Gardiner

BSc (Hons) MRICS

Chartered Surveyor

Grace graduated from Harper Adams with a first class honours in rural enterprise and land management.  She joined Whirledge & Nott in October 2021 and qualified in October 2022.

Grace enjoys a wide range of general rural practice, including diversification planning, environmental grants and agency.

In her holidays Grace enjoys helping her godmother with lambing on their farm in the north of Scotland.

James Dagg

James Dagg

BSc (Hons) MSc MRICS

Chartered Surveyor

James graduated from the University of Reading having completed the MSc Real Estate course in 2020. He joined Whirledge & Nott in 2021 and qualified in November 2023.

When not at work, James enjoys fly fishing, skiing and playing rugby.

Albert Holland

Albert Holland

Commercial Lettings Agent

Albert joined Whirledge & Nott in 2023 to pursue his ambition to be a commercial letting agent.  Albert is Vice Chairman of Ongar Young Farmers and lives on the family farm in North Essex.  In his spare time Albert restores cars.

Amanda Rose

Amanda Rose

Financial Controller

Amanda joined Whirledge and Nott in 2019 as Financial Controller. She is a part qualified CIMA accountant with over 30 years of experience in the private sector.  Amanda lives in Battlesbridge and has two grown up sons.

Claire King

Claire King

Property Accounts Manager

Claire joined Whirledge & Nott in 2020.  Her 30 years’ experience in accounts is invaluable for her role of collecting rents for both residential and commercial properties as well as administering a large farm account.  She also assists our Financial Controller.

Claire lives in Rayleigh and has two grown up daughters. She is the founder of a successful local hockey club which she plays and manages.

Harriet Tolhurst

Harriet Tolhurst

BSc (Hons)

Graduate

Harriet graduated from the Royal Agricultural University with a first-class Honours Degree in Real Estate in July 2023.  She joined Whirledge & Nott in September on the graduate scheme. 

Harriet enjoys shooting, competing in tetrathlons, travelling, scuba diving and rides with the Essex Hunt North Pony Club.