the events were attended by a good cross section of these, including several former tenants, former land agents and a local Member of Parliament.
The first open day event was on a Dairy Farm at Sarn near Newtown. The Sarn estate of
598 Ha. (1,478 acres) was
acquired in two stages. 357 acres were purchased at auction in 1911 for £4,800 (£13.45 per acre!) and a further 1,121 acres purchased in 1920. The estate now comprises 19 equipped farms ranging from a 132 acre upland beef and sheep farm to a 4 acre poultry rearing business.
The open days were supported by displays from partner organisations such as the NFU, FUW, Coleg Powys agricultural and equestrian unit and the Young Farmers.
The second open day, in the afternoon, moved to Farrington estate near Knighton, a 431 acre upland estate overlooking the town. This estate was also purchased at auction in 1920 and the price paid was £7,175 (£16.64 per acre) to include two farm houses and buildings and a cottage. The land formed part of the larger Norton Manor estate of 3,577 acres which was sold off in 12 lots. The auctioneers were Bruton Knowles, Land Agents of Gloucester, a name we are still familiar with today. The Farrington estate now comprise three upland beef and sheep farms.
At each open day event a competition was held. At Sarn it was to guess the weight of a Texel ram and the £50 prize was sponsored by the local feed merchants. At Knighton, it was guess the weight of a pen of Texel cross lambs and the £30 first prize, sponsored by the local market auctioneers was won by the Leader of the Council, himself an active farmer.
The tenants who hosted the open days were presented with a commemorative welsh slate plaque to be fixed to a suitable building on the farm and a fruit tree was also presented by the Powys Tenants Association to each tenant.
County Councillor Mrs Kath Roberts-Jones (left), Cabinet Member for Corporate Governance and Corporate Assets presents the slate plaque to the tenant at the Sarn open day
In addition to the open days a small display was provided at the Royal Welsh Show later in July to publicise the work of the estate.
Plans are in hand to establish a Centenary Planting of a 100 trees on the farm at Knighton, to act as a permanent reminder of the event.
The Powys estate is still serving the farming community after 100 years plus by providing a ladder of opportunity and helping to maintain the essential rural nature of the County’s communities.
Looking to the future
The Leighton Estate, near Welshpool, which is on the opposite side of the Severn Valley to Powis Castle, was acquired by John Naylor, a banker from Liverpool, in 1846-47 and he embarked on an ambitious programme of building, principally at Leighton Hall, Leighton Church and Leighton Farm, which was largely completed by the mid 1850s. Naylor continued to extend and improve the Estate until his death in 1889. His
THE TERRIER - Autumn 2011
grandson, Captain J.M. Naylor, sold the Estate in 1931, when Leighton Farm was bought by Montgomeryshire County Council.
converted to light industrial use.
Leighton Farm was a model estate home farm where the latest farming methods were employed using techniques derived from science and industry. It was characteristic of its period but especially notable for its scale. Apart from the rationalisation of farm design, its principal aims were to provide better shelter for livestock and fodder, the recycling of manure as fertilizer, and mechanisation, principally in the form of turbines and hydraulic rams. The farm includes two circular buildings, originally used as piggeries, which were unusual at the time, the received wisdom at the time being that they were impractical. There is also a special building for drying sheep after they were washed prior to shearing!
Photograph of Leighton Model Farm, Welshpool, Powys
In July 2009, Powys County Council decided it could no longer afford to maintain this group of Listed Farm buildings (Grade II* and Grade II) and seven dwellings which form part of the complex. A £2 million maintenance backlog had been identified in 2005. Offers were invited for the model farm, dwellings and approx. 81 Ha of agricultural land, all subject to existing tenancies, a mixture of Farm Business Tenancies and secure business tenancies. A 200 year lease was offered in return for a premium, but the successful bidder was required to complete a comprehensive schedule of repairs to the buildings within a 10 year timescale. On satisfactory completion of the repairs the tenant could apply to purchase the freehold for a nominal sum.
The prime aim of the disposal was to secure a sustainable future for the listed buildings and their repair and refurbishment. A planning brief was developed and the Princes Regeneration Trust was commissioned to prepare a Conservation Statement. An attractive offer from a local businessman was accepted and following a protracted pre-contract stage, including the preparation and agreement of the detailed repair schedule, the transfer was finally completed in August 2011.
The new owner intends to use the farm to build on his current National Hunt interests, and ultimately to establish a stud farm there, but his priority is to concentrate on the repairs to the buildings over the next 10 year period. It is anticipated that his proposal will offer an exciting regeneration opportunity for the area by providing employment opportunities and potentially an attraction for visitors in the future. The repair programme will offer opportunities for local craftsmen to use traditional techniques to repair the listed buildings.
The events of 2011 have provided a potent reminder of
the value of County Farms not only as an opportunity for new entrants, but also regeneration and rural enterprise opportunities such as that proposed for the Leighton estate.
Nigel Baldwin
In recent years some of the buildings have been
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