Our Story

Cross Bank Farm is a small Victorian holding, built in 1890 and still carrying its history rather well.

We arrived here and, like most people who take on an old place, thought we’d simply “do a bit of work.” In reality, we’ve been “doing a bit of work” ever since. The farm still holds its original quirks; a well just outside the kitchen door, an old rainwater cistern beneath the courtyard, a walled orchard, and a Dutch barn with a hayloft and a beautiful view.

It’s not a polished place, and we’ve never tried to make it one. What it is, though, is steadily being brought back to life as a farm.

We came here for something more simple, slower, a more sustainable way of living. Food we understand because we’ve produced it ourselves. Days shaped more by seasons than schedules.

It might sound romantic and some days it is. Other days it involves mud, broken gates and dodging the rain. But the trade-off is worth it.

The farm is home to an ever-growing collection of animals; hens, quail, sheep, pigs and Henry the turkey. From them, and from the orchard and hedgerows around us, we produce eggs, preserves, chutneys and pickled quail eggs, all made in small batches, properly and without shortcuts.

Nothing here is rushed. Nothing is overcomplicated. It’s simply good food, made from what’s available, when it’s ready.

As the farm has taken shape, we’ve found more and more people asking how we’ve done it, or wanting to do something similar themselves. So alongside the day-to-day work of the farm, we now offer small, practical courses and experiences — sharing what we’ve learned (including the bits that didn’t go to plan) with those looking to build something of their own.

Between us, we bring very different experiences to the farm. One of us spent 31 years in the British Army, where structure and discipline were part of daily life. The other has always leaned more towards building things from scratch, figuring things out as we go, and quietly refusing to do things the “usual” way if it doesn’t make sense. Somewhere between the two, Cross Bank Farm has taken shape.

We’re not trying to be a big farm, or a perfect one. We’re simply doing things well, looking after what we have and producing food that reflects where it’s come from — and, where it’s helpful, showing others that a different way of living is possible too.