Garrowby is the largest of the Halifax Estates and extends to 13,230 acres. The estate is located 13 miles east of York and varies in land type and topography, from the flat clay soils on the Vale of York in the west to the thin chalk soils on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds to the east. In-between is the Wold escarpment rising to 250m above sea level, with numerous deep glacial dales, which provide sporting birds for which Garrowby Shoot is renowned.

Garrowby Hall, which lies in a parkland setting in the centre of the estate, is now occupied by Lord Halifax’s son, Lord Irwin.

Traditionally the western part of the estate was predominantly grassland with numerous small dairy farms due to its heavy soils. However, since the 1980’s land drainage schemes have allows this to be covered into productive arable land to grow cereals which has led to the total disappearance of dairy farms on Garrowby Estate.