Largest Arable Field in England

Shilly Boy · Dec 21, 2023

It’s a bit random, but I’m doing a local history on the British and World Ploughing Championships held in Shillingford, Oxfordshire and wonder if someone has any knowledge or point me in the right direction. The field used in these contests - 1956, 1993 & 1999 now known as Plough Field has been known as the largest open arable field in either Southern England or even in England. I think it’s in excess of 300 Acres. I’m trying to verify this as it’s a nice statement to add into my research article. I could ask Shillingford Farm but am trying to find an independent source. Thanks

Andy26 · Dec 21, 2023

I've seen on YouTube, I think it was @agricontract , visiting a farm in Cambridgeshire I think and they were standing in a 400 acre field!

d williams · Dec 21, 2023

Shilly Boy said:
It’s a bit random, but I’m doing a local history on the British and World Ploughing Championships held in Shillingford, Oxfordshire and wonder if someone has any knowledge or point me in the right direction. The field used in these contests - 1956, 1993 & 1999 now known as Plough Field has been known as the largest open arable field in either Southern England or even in England. I think it’s in excess of 300 Acres. I’m trying to verify this as it’s a nice statement to add into my research article. I could ask Shillingford Farm but am trying to find an independent source. Thanks

I’m sure there was a field on a farm I was at on isle sheppy was 400ac

Shilly Boy · Dec 21, 2023

Many thanks. I’ll check it out.

Woody j · Dec 21, 2023

d williams said:
I’m sure there was a field on a farm I was at on isle sheppy was 400ac

That would take some ploughing!

nxy · Dec 21, 2023

There used to be a sort one furrow plough statue on the side of the road in the location.

Location is given here.

World Ploughing Championships memorial © Stuart Logan

The phrase Pax Arva Colat meaning "Let Peace Cultivate the Fields" is the motto of the World Ploughing Organization. It adorns the base of this cairn set up to commemorate the World Championships which were held here during October 1958.

www.geograph.org.uk

Don't know if its right. Its been a while since I was around south oxfordshire.

Spencer · Dec 21, 2023

Field opposite college at Bishop Burton reportedly had an acre for every day of year

Iben · Dec 21, 2023

Depends upon how you define field? Plenty farms had all their internal fences taken out 30-40 years ago, so that could be one field. But they are never sown in one crop.

Andy12345 · Dec 21, 2023

Won't win the largest field , but we have one of 170 acres with 18 sodding sides

Suffolk Serf · Dec 21, 2023

All of the above make the 116 acre field that I have my outdoor sows on currently look a bit pathetic.

goodevans · Dec 21, 2023

Iben said:
Depends upon how you define field? Plenty farms had all their internal fences taken out 30-40 years ago, so that could be one field. But they are never sown in one crop.

Hughie Batchelor was an expert at it who also served time for it if I remember correctly

Flatlander · Dec 21, 2023

Andy12345 said:
Won't win the largest field , but we have one of 170 acres with 18 sodding sides

I had a 13 acres field in the uk with six corners. Four trees and a steep bank in one corner that a tractor woukd slide down Don’t miss those days. Have an 857 acre field now that’s tough to get organized in with having only entrances on one end. Old local farmer was telling me back in the sixties he had seen the then owner start drilling and the headland was green by the time he’d finished even without any holdups. Even now it’s still two very good days to get drilled up.

yellowbelly · Dec 21, 2023

Flatlander said:
Old local farmer was telling me back in the sixties he had seen the then owner start drilling and the headland was green by the time he’d finished even without any holdups. Even now it’s still two very good days to get drilled up.

Dad used to tell me about a farm on the Trentside that had a 70 acre field back in the days of horses - the headlands were usually emerging by the time they finished drilling the garings.

AT Aloss · Dec 21, 2023

Flatlander said:
I had a 13 acres field in the uk with six corners. Four trees and a steep bank in one corner that a tractor woukd slide down Don’t miss those days. Have an 857 acre field now that’s tough to get organized in with having only entrances on one end. Old local farmer was telling me back in the sixties he had seen the then owner start drilling and the headland was green by the time he’d finished even without any holdups. Even now it’s still two very good days to get drilled up.

17 acres & 14 corners....

Shilly Boy · Dec 21, 2023

nxy said:
There used to be a sort one furrow plough statue on the side of the road in the location.

Location is given here.

World Ploughing Championships memorial © Stuart Logan

The phrase Pax Arva Colat meaning "Let Peace Cultivate the Fields" is the motto of the World Ploughing Organization. It adorns the base of this cairn set up to commemorate the World Championships which were held here during October 1958.

www.geograph.org.uk

Don't know if its right. Its been a while since I was around south oxfordshire.

Yes, it’s still at the entrance to the field although the original plough was stolen a few years ago and a copy now sits on top of the cairn. I live opposite and see it everyday

Shilly Boy · Dec 21, 2023

goodevans said:
Hughie Batchelor was an expert at it who also served time for it if I remember correctly

I think it’s 300 or so acres and completely open. Extends about a mile. A hedgerow has recently been added making a smaller field of 12 acres.

Shilly Boy · Dec 21, 2023

All one crop down every year

MOG · Dec 21, 2023

I mapped this one on Google earth to be 320 acres but on various historical images it sometimes gets more cropped, sometimes less. Depends on greening/setaside etc I guess. Anyway, it is just to the East of Devizes if anyone wants to check it out.

FMF74 · Dec 21, 2023

Iben said:
Depends upon how you define field? Plenty farms had all their internal fences taken out 30-40 years ago, so that could be one field. But they are never sown in one crop.

We have one like that, currently three crops but technically one field best part of 640 acres

T Hectares · Dec 21, 2023

MOG said:
I mapped this one on Google earth to be 320 acres but on various historical images it sometimes gets more cropped, sometimes less. Depends on greening/setaside etc I guess. Anyway, it is just to the East of Devizes if anyone wants to check it out.

View attachment 1154441

I used to work in and then manage the fields on the Northern border for about 18 years, that field had all the ditches piped and filled in on the lower area ( north ) before being cropped as 3 blocks of WW, WB and OSR for a few years before it become one field with the stewardship areas taken out around the wood on the southern side which is the top of a steep hill, the tractor driver there used to plough it with a NH 8560 and five furrow plough when it was 3 fields, quite a task !

There are several large fields in that area, this one, East field at Alton Barnes is one field but cropped as 4 fields, I worked and managed there for 10 years

And this one up the road towards Swindon is the largest single field I know of in the area, interestingly it was farmed by the same person as the Devizes field for many years

Largest Arable Field in England

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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