Pioneering organic farm owned by the same family for 100 years goes on the market for £10million

The Pimhill Estate, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, was one of the first farms to adopt organic farming.

Pimhill Farm, at Harmer Hill near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, has been owned by the same family since 1923 and its owners made the decision to go organic nearly 80 years ago in 1949.

Now the estate, which features an Elizabethan Hall, a wedding barn, a guest cottage, and contractor-operated organic dairy and arable farming enterprises has gone on sale - for £10million.

Savills, which is selling the estate says it spans around 673 acres and is offered as a whole or in up to three lots. It has been farmed organically for over seventy-five years, helping spearhead the organic farming movement in the UK.

Pimhill farmer Sam Mayall began the initiative in 1949.

"My friends and advisers had no doubts at all," Sam wrote in a 1965 article. "They gave me just three years, by the end of which I should have learned my lesson the hard way, and would be forced back to the fertiliser bag.

"But I had become convinced that the organic principle is right and I had to go on."

Lea Hall, built in 1584 and Grade II* listed, sits at the heart of the farm. Showcasing architectural elements from the 16th and 18th centuries, the living space covers approximately 7,363 square feet across three floors, including a cellar. 

Adjacent to Lea Hall is the Courthouse, a detached brick building restored in 2012, offering an entrance hall, a double bedroom, a wet room, and a large open-plan living space with exposed beams and a kitchen. 

The Courthouse is used for wedding accommodations and short stays.

The Elizabethan Barn, built in 1584 and restored in 2011, is a popular wedding venue licensed for civil marriages and partnerships, accommodating 150 people. 

The barn is connected to a traditional brick cart shed and a pavilion with a commercial kitchen and toilets. 

Louise Harrison, property agent for Savills said: "The Pimhill Estate epitomises careful stewardship, offering a substantial in-hand organic dairy and arable enterprise alongside a diverse portfolio of properties, including a thriving weddings business. A commercial and picturesque farm centred around a historically significant house."