Blackmore Farm Recent History . . .

For most of it history, Blackmore Farm has been tenanted, as the family that owned and built the house moved to the larger Halswell House near Goathurst. In 1978 for the first time the Halswell Estate was sold and was purchased by an institutional Pension Fund. In 1984 as sitting tenants we were able to buy the freehold of the house and farm.

The Farm

The present farm consists of two holding - Blackmore and Whitnell, extending to 850 acres. We have a dairy herd of 180 cows and grow 450 acres of combinable crops including wheat, barley, oats, peas and beans. The farm staff consists of Ian, Alan his brother, Ken his father.

The Family

The Dyer family moved to Blackmore in 1952 when Ken and his brother David took the tenancy. The farm and house was generally run down. A few years later David took tenancy of a National Trust Farm near Minehead. Ken married Vera in 1956 and Ian was born in 1959, later followed by Lorna and Alan.

Ian was brought up on this farm and in 1984 married Ann, a farmers daughter from Bath. They have three children - Rachel born in January 1989, Hannah born in September 1990, and John born in June 1993. Ian and Ann met each other through the Young Farmers' Movement, where Ann worked as a full-time secretary for Somerset & South Avon Federation for 4 years and Ian is a past Federation Chairman. Ian and Ann are both committed Christians and actively involved in the leadership of Westfield Church, Bridgwater.

Farm Shop

The Farm Shop is managed by Ann and John Piper, Please CLICK HERE

Click Here for Blackmore Farm History