Farmed by five generations of the Newman family!
Rew Farmhouse was built in 1654 by William Somner.
Rew Farm has been run by five generations of the Newman family since William George Newman in 1880. Currently managed by father and son team, Geoffrey and Mark Newman, 4th and 5th generations, (pictured). The Farm was predominantly a dairy farm but in recent years has become solely a beef farm, supplying our delicious grass fed Aberdeen Angus beef from our own suckler herd, born and reared by us, to many high street food stores and for the last two years offering boxed beef to many happy customers!
The end of the stone-built house abuts on the road, near the junction with Park Lane, if you looked up at the tall chimney you could just make out the inscription:
S
W E
1 6 5 4
This imprint refers to William Somner, 'grocer, of Devizes' and Elizabeth his wife, who farmed at Rew Farm after the death of his father, also William Somner in 1654.
In 1740 Daniel Somner (the younger) sold Rew Farm to Wadham Locke, later married Rachel Anderws. Rew Farm remained in the ownership of the Locke family until 1948, when it was bought by Col. Bell, who then later sold it to Geoffrey Newman, whose Family had farmed it as tenants since 1880 and had been tenants of Seend Bridge Farm from 1841 (or earlier) to 1876.
During World War 1 Stephen Newman's father had the first local hay-mowing machine, pulled by horses. Before that, gangs of men used to go round mowing the hay with scythes. During World War 2 the farm had its first tractor, and since then mechanisation has proceeded apace.
Rew Farm is a case in point: in 1871, with 140 acres, it took the farmer, two men, two boys and a dairy-maid to work it. Today the father and son farm 200 acres.
The chimneys blew off in the big storm of 1987 and the original plaque was destroyed. We have recently reinstated a replica plaque on the side of the house facing the road.
The History of Rew Farm
The History of Rew Farm
