The land that forms most of the Chilton Estate was brought into single ownership in the 1780s and 1790s by John Pearse. Pearse was pre-deceased by his children and there were various subsequent owners through the middle of the nineteenth century.
The Estate was bought by Sir William Pearce (no relation) in 1888 and greatly improved by him until he died childless in 1908.  He built many of the houses and farm buildings that remain in the hamlet of Leverton and in the village of Chilton Foliat. The Estate was purchased by the Ward family in 1908 and has passed by descent to Sarah Scrope who now owns and manages the Estate with her husband, Adrian.  

In 2004 a programme of renewal and investment in residential and commercial properties and Estate infrastructure began. In that year, Smiths Gore were appointed as managing agents and Wessex Woodland Management as forestry advisers. The following year, Dockray Farming Ltd. was selected as the arable contractor.  The Estate entered into agreements for the grassland and livestock operations with David Barnes shortly thereafter.
Since 2004, there has been a rolling programme of capital expenditure and repairs on farm and commercial buildings, residential properties and the Estate’s infrastructure; this should be  completed by 2012.