From the 16th century Cragend Farm has been a place of agriculture with approximately 1700 acres at one point. In the 1860's Lord Armstrong of Cragside bought the farm from the Duke of Northumberland and rearranged the layout of the farm for his own use. Most of the land was taken by the main estate and the buildings were altered to house his new inventions of hyro-engineering turbines to do the work of many men. From 1900 the Thompson family came to live at Cragend Farm as Tenants and they had dairy cattle primarily until the 1980's when they changed to farming pigs.
This photo has been given to us by George Thompson a descendant of the family who worked here.
Find Out More About Cragend
Cragend Farm has a interesting and diverse history, from technical innovations to historic buildings. Tied in closely to the neighbouring Cragside Estate home of Victorian inventor and industrialist Lord Armstrong.