On This Day in Wembury
9 October 1877 — Old Barton Farm to Let by Tender
On this day the Western Morning News carried notice that Old Barton Farm, Wembury, amounting to around 163 acres, was to be let by tender from 20 October for a term of either 7 or 14 years. The holding comprised both pasture and arable land, with a “very good farmhouse and homestead” included. Interested parties were directed to Mr. F. Ellis at the South Wembury entrance lodge on Mondays and Fridays, or to view the farm itself on Wednesdays. Further particulars were available from Mr. Adams of Boringdon Villas, Plymouth, to whom written tenders were to be submitted by 15 October.
Reflection: Old Barton is one of Wembury’s long-established farms, closely tied to South Wembury House (later Thorn). This 1877 tender shows how the estate was actively managed and its lands leased out to tenants. The detailed acreage and flexible terms also illustrate the importance of tenant farming in Victorian rural Devon, where continuity of stewardship was central to sustaining both community and estate.
Source: Western Morning News, 9 October 1877.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.