The farm's history

Bill and Sue Milverton are second generation tenant farmers of the Crown Estate. The farm is 260 acres and is still run as a working dairy farm. They have about 110 milking cows, 70 followers and beef cattle. Bill and Sue have three children ,James,Robert and Laura.Their eldest son James is back on the farm after University and has bought his own flock of 50 sheep. Robert is currently studying Hospitality and Business Management at Bournemouth University and Laura is taking her GCSE exams next summer.

The decrease in the milk price over the last 5 years has meant that an alternative enterprise had to be undertaken to keep the farm viable for the family’s future. The stone barn beside the farmhouse was only used for storage and was crying out to be used. After looking at various options, a restaurant appeared to be an exciting prospect.

Sue has run a successful Bed & Breakfast business in the farmhouse for the past 14 years and enjoyed cooking for and looking after guests. She is passionate about using fresh local food and realised that her guests appreciated “real food”. Starting a restaurant in the barn using local produce seemed a logical if huge extension to the existing business. Sue is also a qualified photographer and her black and white photographs are displayed in the barn. She is keen to display artwork by other local artists in the future.

Planning such a major undertaking took some time and the whole project hung in the balance while an application was made to DEFRA under the Rural Enterprise Scheme. Fortunately the application was successful and work started on 28 October 2004. The restaurant opened for business on 29 April 2005.

PAST HISTORY

During the conversion work, a cellar was uncovered under the barn. Inside the cellar above a door is the inscription HG 1700. From researching local records we know that HG was Henry Gatchell who lived in the house at that time, and was Sheriff of Somerset . We have also found seals from wine bottles with Henry Gatchell’s name inscribed and dates around 1700-1705.

Lower Clavelshay Farm was originally called Clavelshay Farm. The name originates from the land being owned by the Clavel family and “hay” means belonging to. Apparently the manor of Clavelshay was granted to William Portman Esq by King Henry VIII in 1545. It was owned by the Portman family but tenanted by the Gatchell family for several generations. In 1944 the Portman Estate was handed over to the Crown in lieu of death duties. It is still owned by the Crown Estate today.