Welcome to Littlestoke Manor Farm

Littlestoke Manor Farm is a beautiful family farm based near Goring on Thames. It runs from the river to the chalk hills, so has a varied soil structure for growing different crops. It is a historic site which is gradually being sympathetically restored. 

It is essential that family farms keep their identity and find their own niche. Currently it is both a productive farm and a creative environment which is committed to ecological and sustainable processes. It is the mixture of this that works, and allowing different individuals to bring in skills.

Littlestoke has a natural ability to teach by the nature of it's diversity, over the years it has taught people dairying, art, farming, vegetable production, engineering, craft and many more skills.

There are a number of cottages which are home to families, most of whom work locally and also have  a love of growing things. Increasingly we are home to a number of small British cottage industries (see links). We hope to create a venue for teaching a wide selection of practical and conceptual subjects.

Please read the history for more information. And look on the Blog for thoughts and current projects.

History

Littlestoke Manor Farm is a mixed farm nestled into the Thames Valley. It runs from the River Thames up to the chalk hills near Ipsden. Once part of the Macclesfield Estate it then became part of the Ipsden Estate during the 1800’s.

In 1921 my grandfather Noel Blake Ducker bought the farm because he fell in love with it having served in The First World War as 2nd Lieutenant for the Cheshire Regiment. He nurtured and built an interesting model farm while also running a company in London which he set up in 1911. The farm's focus on buildings and character flint walls were as important as the type of livestock and field management systems. The farm raised quality beef, a small dairy unit of Guernsey cows, and grew a huge diversity of arable crops. It also had a wonderful productive garden for vegetables, fruit and flowers. Combined with this, was a passion for horsemanship, in particular carriage driving. My grandmother was one of the first women vets, and with a brilliant extended family, the Vaughn family, there was a huge hub of activity and families connected to Littlestoke. Between the 1920’s and the 1960’s there was a forge in one of the Tythe barns, and along with carpentry there were many skills such as engineering and welding all machines and engines, the animal care and plant management.

In the 1960’s my father, Philip, took over running the farm and worked to improve efficiency as well as to create high quality healthy animals and crops. This continued throughout the 1980’s with Organic production. At the time Organic farming was still a new concept although old in practice and it was proving very challenging for my father due to his ill health and in 1988 the farm reverted back to conventional systems.

We have just been ticking over since my father stopped farming and it is only now that we are finding our direction. It has been difficult, but the vision is now clear. We intend to bring high quality elements through all disciplines such as hay making, tree planting, wild flowers, buildings and offering spaces to high quality artisans, we hope to introduce more educational opportunities.

So often nowadays farms are for their investors and it is important that family farms ensure they have a niche. Our niche is my life’s work and commitment.