New arrivals at working farm

A south Shropshire farm, which has been at the heart of television shows Victorian Farm and Escape in Time, is set to reopen.

Acton Scott working historic farm, near Church Stretton, will be open to visitors again on March 30.

And new for this year, visitors can now enjoy a tour of sites across the Acton estate used in the shows as part of a two-day double bill tour with Stokesay Court.

Rupert Acton will lead a private tour including the opportunity to visit the historic working farm attraction, located in the estate's 18th century Home Farm buildings, as featured in the series.

The tour will also include the Glebe Farm buildings, yard and fields used in the production, Acton Scott Church, the restored forge and see inside the authentic Victorian cottage, reinstated during the production. At Stokesay Court, Caroline Magnus will tell visitors how she inherited the property by surprise and hosted the cast and crew of Atonement.

The interior decor is unchanged since the production and visitors will get a chance to see memorabilia from filming. The tours will run monthly from April until October.

For those who like the outdoors, there will be courses in dry stone walling, brickwork and creating hedgerows as well as opportunities to learn traditional smallholding skills, such as bee-keeping and keeping pigs.

The working farm will be open Tuesdays0 to Sundays and Bank Holidays. For more information call (01694) 781307.