The Green at Netherton Farm – History

Netherton Farm – adapted from original text by the late Michael Horrell

Before it became The Green in 2008, Netherton had been the home base of the Horrells’ growing farm enterprise for four generations over a period of about a century.  Originally, this comprised 90 acres at Netherton itself and gradually a number of small, family-sized holdings were acquired which then amalgamated as they became vacant and over the years the crops, livestock, staff and equipment evolved.

Third generation, Douglas Horrell, survived the depression of the 1930s and subsequently brought his newly-graduated son, Michael, into the fold.  The need to produce every possible bite of food in WW2 provided the foundation for a rapid post-war technical and market development lasting until the era of surpluses in the ‘70s, when it resulted in a treadmill effect on the farmers, exacerbated in this case by the effects of Bovine TB and BSE (“Mad Cow Disease”).

The fruits of science and engineering had been eagerly embraced for greater yields and efficiency, shown in steps of about a generation at a time.  The final total was 500 acres under three landlords, chiefly the Duchy of Cornwall.  There were two herds of milking cows, with young cattle making up 500 animals in all.  All the land was devoted to their feeding and grazing needs.

Milk quotas and other restraining policies then led the family to turn to milk processing rather than further farming expansion and Netherton became the home of the award-winning, nettle-coated Cornish Yarg cheese.  Together with a visitor centre for the interest of the public, the total staff grew to about thirty in the summer peak – much the same as it would once have been in those historical farmlets – while the raw materials from the land were produced by a highly capitalised and experienced team of only three!

With the next generation not wanting to take over, the business was progressively divested of its cattle, equipment and other land, until the farmstead at Netherton became the site of The Green in 2007.  Cornish Yarg continues to flourish in the hands of a younger farming family in West Cornwall.

Duchy of Cornwall

Interestingly, it is rare for the Duchy of Cornwall to divest itself of any land or property.  Tenanted farms generally remain as such throughout their period of lease but unusually Netherton Farm was sold and became the private property of the Horrell family.  Today, even as The Green, the Duchy still retains mineral and hunting rights as part of the original agreed sale terms.

Lynher Dairies – today’s producers of Cornish Yarg Cheese

Lynher Dairies, owned by Catherine Mead OBE DL, is situated on the outskirts of Ponsanooth in mid Cornwall, where they make, by hand, four award-winning cheeses.  They are the only producers of Cornish Yarg and Wild Garlic Yarg and have been wrapping them in nettle leaves since the 1980s.

Yarg got its name from a moment of inspiration.  Bodmin Moor farmer, Alan Gray, first produced Yarg in the 1980s after finding a 17th century recipe for nettle wrapped cheese in his attic.  Spell Gray backwards and you have the answer as to how Yarg was named.

Two tonnes of nettles are foraged every year from local woodlands, hedgerows and fields, taking a sustainable approach to keep ecosystems thriving.  The Cornish Yargs are wrapped with the young, vibrantly green nettle leaves of spring.  They are picked, frozen and by the time they are brushed on, following a traditional pattern of concentric circles, the sting has left them but the flavour hasn’t.  Each nettler has their own style.  They (and they alone!) can identify each others’ handiwork.  In store, the Cornish Yargs develop a dusting of bloomy white moulds across their leafy, edible rinds.  Each cheese is turned by hand until they mature.  Six weeks from field to finish, Yarg has a fresh mushroomy taste with an irresistible crumble in the core.

The Green by Moira McInnes

My husband Mike and I bought the buildings and some land at Netherton Farm from the late Michael and Margaret Horrell in 2008.  The traditional farm buildings had been operating as a dairy farm and producing the famous Yarg cheese.  We converted some of the buildings into contemporary holiday accommodation achieving 5 Star Gold rating along the way.  In parallel, the grounds were landscaped and we opened to our first guests in August 2010 and over the years we have enjoyed tremendous support from The Horrells and our neighbours.

With such an abundance of buildings still to restore, it was inevitable that we would harness their character and features to diversify the existing offering.  The seclusion and beauty of the estate created a magical setting for relaxed, private celebrations and our first Wedding took place in 2012. 

Now a thriving wedding venue, we welcome guests not only from the south west but from all corners of Great Britain and indeed the world.  Our heritage is experienced by thousands of visitors each year, who, like us, share a love of Cornwall, its beauty and the peace they find here.

In recent times, we have converted more of the barns as reception and ceremony areas, brought all the catering in-house, increased the accommodation capacity and re-landscaped the grounds whilst supporting many local businesses and creating employment in the locality.

As custodians of this unique location, we continue to enjoy the adventure, always searching for new inspiration and ideas to help couples create memories for a lifetime.

We hope you enjoy flicking through these “before” and “after” pictures to see some of the changes we have made over the years.

Cottage One

Originally, access to The Green ran immediately next to what is now Cottage One.   The road had to be re-routed for practicality and a turning circle created  It was a major project involving extensive trench work and earth movement but essential to enable the next stages to progress.  

Sleeping tow people, Cottage One is now a popular choice for couples on their wedding night.

Cottage Two

A large tractor shed was attached to this building which needed to be removed and the whole building restructured.

Cottage Two is now a great choice for a family of four and offers privacy and comfort all within easy reach of the function spaces.

Cottages Three, Four & Five

The lower section of this building was originally the main cheese-making facility.  Above was the tearoom.

After colossal renovations, Cottages Three & Four were created on the upper floor incorporating some of the original features, each sleeping four guests.  Recent alterations include the balcony providing views across to Kitt Hill and beyond towards Dartmoor and Plymouth.  Using the entire ground floor, Cottage Five provides a generous space sleeping six guests.

The House

Once the old farmhouse with views towards Caradona nd Bodmin Moor, the building has been renovated and re-imagined to become the accommodation hub with a mix of rooms for 12 guests and generous, contemporary living spaces for guests to gather and relax in.

Rooms Six – Ten

The milking parlour, adjacent to what is now the Wedding Barn was used as a store for some years before its creative transformation into five addiitonal bedrooms.

The Wedding Barn

In Netherton Farm days, this was the milking parlour.  Initially converted to form the main ceremony area, it was later extended to increase capacity around 2015.

Now licensed for up to 140 people it’s a firm favourite with couples who love the original beams and the twinkling fairy lights.  There’s been many a time a prospective bride or groom has had an “emotional moment” on first viewing this magical setting.

Today, the roof still slopes from front to back retaining its rustic charm.

The Green Room

Visitors to the farm would see cheesemaking demonstrations here.  When weddings were introduced, this became the venue for the reception, meal and evening party.  With a permanent marquee added to the front it’s hard to imagine that so many weddings took place within this space.

In 2017 its focus changed to become an area for guests to gather pre-ceremony and “between times” until additional catering was brought in-house, providing arrival meals and breakfasts as part of the wedding package which can be enjoyed in the Green Room.

2022 saw the patio area extended and today it provides a light, airy space for guests to enjoy inside or al fresco on warmer days.

The Red Brick Barn

From Cattle Barn to Reception space, a transformation on an epic scale.  The original structure was built using red bricks from the London Brick Company, an unusual material rarely seen in Cornwall.  The network of wooden beams gives height and grace to this calm and elegant area.  Throw open the bifold doors in summer and let the gentle Cornish breeze drift through the space as you savour delivious cusine prepared at The Green by our Kitchen brigade.

The Really Rustic Barn

This is probably the building which most resumbles its former self.  In contrast to the enchantment of the Wedding Barn the Really Rustic Barn offers an industrial vibe and raw rustic charm all of its own.

Situated at the far end of the Red Brick Barn and part of the origianl cattle shed, couples can now dress it up or stay true to its authenticity.

Whether for a ceremony, cocktails, activities or photographs, it certainly offers a unique space and demonstrates diversification at its very finest.

Additions

As the venue has evolved, so too have the facilities and over the years much time and thought has been put into creating additional features to enhance the offering.  The Oak & Lake Arbours are now licensed ceremony locations and Preen at The Green is a “salon in a shepherd’s hut” for pre-wedding pampering.

Cornish Views

Despite the ever-changing face of The Green itself, one thing that remains constant throughout the passage of time is the spectacularr Cornish scenery and the spellbinding views in any direction you care to look.  Sunrise or Sunset ~ Winter or Summer ~ Rain or Shine  ~ The magic of Cornwall never fades.

The Green As It Is Today

A private wedding village, catering for 2-140 guests with accommodation for up to 42.  Its natural, tranquil beauty has made it a firm favourite with hundreds of couples celebrating their marriage – amongst them, the first same-sex wedding held in Cornwall in 2014.

The Green continues to evolve organically in its current phase.  In time it may have a different life of its own and new stories to tell.  For now, we hope this brief snapshot has captured the most recent period in its history.