County Durham country estate offering opportunity of a lifetime to get into farming
A country estate is looking for new tenants to work the land on a farm that encompasses over 900 acres of varied land.
Perched on the County Durham/North Yorkshire border, just off the A66 towards Barnard Castle, Barningham Estate offers the opportunity of a lifetime for anyone wanting to start farming.
Current owner Sir Edward Milbank, whose family has owned the Barningham Estate since 1690, is exploring a new collaborative way of prioritizing environmental management on the estate, with the new tenant at Hawsteads Farm playing a leading role in realizing that vision.
Barningham has a long history of conservation, beginning with Sir Edward’s father, Sir Anthony Milbank, who was a co-founder of the Moorland Association and a Council member of the RSPB.
Read more: Our long journey to meet Hannah Hauxwell in the backcountry
Sir Edward has previously described the 7,000-acre Barningham as “a thriving mixed-use rural estate” and prides itself on the fact that it is “home to around 130 species of birds, including rarities such as Ringusel, Black Grouse, Curlew and 5 species of Owl.”
Since taking over the estate six years ago, Sir Edward has planted over 100 acres of mixed woodland on the estate and plans to plant more.
Lucinda Riddell, director of the estate agent who is currently taking bids for the farm on behalf of the estate, said: “Hawsteads Farm offers an exciting opportunity to live and work on the Barningham Estate and is the perfect opportunity for someone looking to come on board enter farming or expand their existing business.
“Farm The Estate has a long history of environmentally conscious land management that has resulted in exceptional biodiversity and a rich tapestry of valuable habitats – from heather moorland to lowland bogs to ancient SSSI woodland.
“Sir Edward is seeking a sharecropper or share/contract farmer to work with him to continue this legacy through sensitive habitat management and restoration, nature-friendly farming and food production.”
Hawsteads Farm comprises a four bedroom farmhouse and is rented out by informal tender, meaning that Sir Edward will accept the offer that best suits his vision for the estate, rather than being required by law to accept the highest amount of money offered.
The farmland includes a varied upland cattle ranch with a good range of modern and traditional buildings covering approximately 384 hectares (948.86 acres).
CONTINUE READING:
For even more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for just £1.25 a week. click here
The farm can either be rented out as a whole under a Farm Business Tenancy or a Share/Contract Farming Agreement. According to real estate agent GSC Grays – depending on the applicant – a share farming agreement may be preferable to fulfilling the estate’s vision for the farm.
Offers will be accepted until Friday, January 20, 2023, 12:00 p.m.
