Rare mixed farm offering for sale in Vale of Glamorgan

It is not often that good-quality commercial farms are offered on the open market in the Vale of Glamorgan, so Stembridge Court Farm is expected to stir a good deal of interest.

Due for launch by the end of this month, the 248-acre arable and livestock farm at Llandow, near Cowbridge, is being sold by the family of the late Alban Wilde, a prominent Welsh farmer.

Andrew Thomas, one of the agents handling the sale at Herbert R Thomas, expects a high level of interest and has a close personal association with the farm as he spent part of his industry placement year working there while studying at Reading University.

See also: Well set up Ayrshire dairy unit on market

He describes it as one of the most important, high-quality sales in the Vale of Glamorgan for a number of years.

“So many farms in the area pass from one generation to the next. Farms like this don’t come onto the market that often,” he says.

Stembridge Court Farm has Grade 3a and 3b land with about 89 acres of its ground in an arable rotation.

There is an extensive range of modern and traditional sheds for cattle housing and storage.

The four-bedroom farmhouse is set away from the farm buildings and is subject to an agricultural occupancy condition.

Sporting, mineral and timber rights are included in the sale.

A guide price of £3.7m has been set for the farm as a whole, although it is also available in three lots.

Somerset grassland holding

In Somerset, near Buckland St Mary, Chard, Carter Jonas is launching Castle Farm, a ringfenced 227-acre holding currently used for beef production.

This has a six-bedroom period farmhouse in a secluded position.

A short distance from the farmhouse, with separate access off the entrance drive, are covered yards, storage sheds and fodder stores for the beef enterprise.

Castle Farm © Carter Jonas

The land, described as undulating and sloping pasture ideal for livestock or equestrian enterprises, is rotationally grazed.

Established broad-leaf woodland covers 80 acres of the land.

The farm is accessed along a right of way through adjoining Forestry Commission woodland.

Carter Jonas is looking for £3.3m for the whole.

Cumbria common grazing rights

There is an unusual opportunity to acquire grazing rights on Crosby Garrett Regulated Common near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria.

Open market sales of common rights are rare as most are attached to land, but those at Crosby Garrett are held in gross, allowing a sale independent of any freehold land sale. 

H&H Land Estates

Mark Barrow, a director at selling agent H&H Land & Estates, says it presents a very attractive opportunity, particularly to other commoners and local farmers.

The grazing rights at Crosby Garrett, which are held under entries 79, 80 and 81 of the Commons Register, are for 257.5 sheep or equivalent livestock units.

Cattle grazing is due to start on 16 May 2024, so the purchaser should have stock available to become an active grazier.

The block is located just north of Crosby Garrett village, about five miles from Kirkby Stephen.

It is temporarily enclosed and served by a mains-fed water trough shared with other commoners on the neighbouring open common, with water usage costs shared proportionately.  

The grazing rights are subject to an extended five-year agreement for Uplands Entry Level Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship, which gross an average annual income of about £10,940.

The purchaser would have to comply with an agreed stocking calendar until the end of that agreement, and also maintain the water trough.

H&H Land & Estates is inviting offers in excess of £65,000 to be submitted by informal tender by 12 noon on 3 May 2024.