1928 – 1948
Hugh Herbert Walford, a solicitor in London, looked to buy a property near his family home in Alresford – somewhere to bring up his own family. The Rectory and Farm in Wolverton was being sold off by the church
The farm continued to work in the same way, growing wheat and cutting the permanant pastures for hay
1948 – 74
Hugh’s son, Jack with Diana and their 3 children moved into The Old House (as it had been renamed by Hugh who did not want to live in a rectory!) Jack and Diana were fine horsemen and both hunted with The Vine Hunt where they met. Diana’s family lived close to Wolverton at Beaurepaire House in Bramley.
Jack increased the size of the farm and introduced Traditional Hereford cattle and Hampshire Down sheep. With his love of hunting he became master of The Vine Hunt and moved the hounds to Wolverton.
The Wolverton herd of herefords and Flock of hampshire downs made their name on the show circuit. Life at The Old House continued with everyone helping to milk the jersey house cows and making butter and cream for the house and cottages. There were a few pigs for meat, horses and some comercial sheep. The farm also grew some wheat and barley for fodder and straw.
1974 – 92
Michael Walford (Jack’s son) took over the farm. He was not an animal man and sold all the livestock. At the time the goverment were paying incentives to rip out all the hedges and create larger fields for the new big combines etc.
Michael took up this grant and the lansdcape changed and the farm was moved over to grain production only. The permanant pastures remained and were let out to others with cattle and sheep.
1992 – 2020
Michael’s niece Sarah, Angus Sladen and their family came to live at The Old House. Although at first too busy with children and a full time job slowly Sarah’s passion for the farm evolved. Archie was born in 1996 and he was soon accompanying Michael on the tractor.
Having grown up on the farm at weekends and holidays with her grandparents the farm was deeply set in Sarah’s roots. She used to go to shows and help judge Herefords, make butter with her grandmother from the Jersey house cow and help with lambing.
In 2005 she started to introduce livestock back to The Old House in the form of a couple of Kune Kune pigs.
Then in 2012 the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep arrived. Dexter Cattle followed and slowly Sarah became more and more involved in the farm.
Archie, having left his job as a professional Ballet dancer and living abroad, came home to help out in 2018. Taking over the role of logging and tree maintenance.
2020 – Present
Michael sadly died in 2020 and Sarah took over in full. Continuing to manage the livestock and now running the stewardship grasses and herbs.