Lord Roscoe’s the cat who got the cream with his National Trust role
The rescued feline is a hit with gardeners as he guards against pests. By Morgan Lawrence
When head gardener Rosie Fyles and her team of four enter the gates of the National Trust’s Ham House, near Richmond, at 6.30am, the newly appointed guard is fresh off the night shift. Six years old and chirpy as a bird, he looks keenly at Janette Slack-Smith, assistant gardener, and awaits instruction.
He was brought on as an apprentice last spring, just as the first national lockdown was announced and, one year later, he is finally on staff. His job? To tackle the pests that plague the 17thcentury property’s 18-acre grounds and gardens. “He’s naturally gifted,” says Slack-Smith. And he should be, too. For he’s a cat.
Lord Roscoe, a black and white “moggy” (as Fyles affectionately calls him) was adopted from The Ginger Cat House Rescue, a rescue centre in Surrey run by June Fraser, after damage caused by grey squirrels to the property’s statues of the Roman god of Mercury and goddess Fortuna was noticed by visitors.
“I’ve wanted to employ biological pest control for a while,” says SlackSmith, who has worked for the Trust since 2017. “Megan, our general manager, thought I meant a genetically engineered wasp. But, of course, I meant a cat. How could we not?” Like on any property with large grounds, some local wildlife can be a problem: plump pigeons, parakeets, mice and squirrels roam the area freely; they snaffle the kitchen garden produce, nibble at rubber irrigation fittings, and peck their way through entire apricot trees. Slack-Smith wrote a formal proposal to adopt a “deterrent” at the beginning of the first lockdown.
Luckily for Lord Roscoe, his probation period was relatively quiet.
In line with pandemic regulations, Fyles and the gardening staff have operated on a skeleton team, while the house has stood empty. Originally built in 1610 as the creation of William Murray, an enterprising courtier, and his daughter, Elizabeth, the house and gardens have been explored by guests since 1948, when the National Trust took ownership.
“He was able to properly settle in,” says Slack-Smith. “Now, when people visit the garden, he gives them the grand tour and kids absolutely love him.” Lord Roscoe is known for sitting inside the on-site shop and visitor centre. “He’s a blossoming retail assistant,” she says. “When he’s not distracted by treats.” Although free to explore the grounds as he chooses, the feline is forbidden from exploring inside the house.
But the job isn’t an easy ride. “He has a performance review with objectives,” says Slack-Smith. “First, to be locally loved; second, to deter pests; and third, to use his GPS collar.” The latter, I’m told, is a struggle. “June Fraser at the shelter told us he was a wanderer,” she says. “He sheds collars like nothing else!”
Lord Roscoe might have failed the last objective, but when it comes to being locally loved, Slack-Smith and the gardening staff are impressed with his efforts. “For God’s sake, he was featured in the RHS magazine!” she laughs. “He’s the highest-profile member of staff we have.”
When he’s not in the shop, Lord Roscoe can be found dozing in one of two 30ft polytunnels. In the morning, he sits on a shelf in the tool shed while the gardeners get ready, and commands attention (or if he is lucky, a treat). “I took out the magazine feature to show everyone,” says Fyles. “But came back and it was covered in paw prints.”
When asked about the future, SlackSmith suggests we might see more cats like Lord Roscoe on National Trust properties. “We can’t imagine being without him,” she says. “He’s brought a new dimension to the atmosphere. Every National Trust estate is better with a cat.”
With a thriving fan group on WhatsApp – The Roscoe Appreciation Society – and an adoring team of gardeners, this rescue cat has truly landed on his feet.
‘When people visit the garden, he gives them a grand tour. Kids love him’