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At Cragend Farm we have six Cattle Rubbing Stones. There are three on the top fields and three in the bottom fields. We were surprised to find out that they are relatively rare these days. Sadly one of them is sinking in a part of our SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) area in boggy ground but can still just be seen. It suggests that at the time of placing that area ...

We travelled to see the Battle of Bosworth during the holidays to find out more about King Richard III and the Tudors, as part of school history lessons.  We found the exhibition very interesting and learnt that they found numerous lead cannon balls or rather its correct term, round shot, when the archaeologists did some metal detection in the fields around the Battle of Bosw ...

Remembrance Day 11th November 2018 100 Year Anniversary of the end of the First World War. George Thompson went to war in 1940 having been the eldest son at Cragend Farm, who did not need to go because he was a farm worker. However, he felt it was his duty to go, and he sadly died, killed in action. His younger brother James (Jimmy) then took over the farm. There is a mem ...

We have had some cine film translated into a movie file and have it here on our YouTube channel for people to enjoy. The Bowes family rented East Cottage from The Thompsons at Cragend Farm from 1914-1954 and were keen film makers. We have been given permission to show this movie which highlights the farm, the cottage and the river. It is available on twitter, Facebook and ...

Mugs for Christmas This year we are introducing our mugs as gifts for Christmas. Our mugs reflect the environment of Cragend Farm, our Rare Breed cattle, our Listed Building and our Victorian heritage. If you would like to order a mug as a gift for someone please contact us before 8th December 2018. We will hope to get the mugs to you before Christmas with that cut off dat ...

In September we hosted Heritage Open Days for people to come and visit the farm and see its heritage, its links to Cragside and to have a private visit to The Silo which is Grade II* and a Building at Risk. The visits comprised of a two hour tour of the farm and lots of information about the history of its many owners over the years, with exclusive access to the two turbines ...

Experience  Cragend Farm is linked to Cragside, The National Trust Property, literally by steel pipes joining the Blackburn reservoir to the farm buildings. When you book a holiday in Northumberland and stay at Cragend Farm, you are able to explore the history of the Armstrong family, who aslo have a castle at Bamburgh. ...

Wednesday June 6th 2018 Cragend Farm Open Day: Cragend Farm opened its doors to the public on the 6th June to celebrate the progress of the farm to date. The Grade II* listed Silo was open and tours where held every hour to see the turbines and machinery within it. The gardens and house were also open to visitors to see the buildings and discuss our links with Cragside, the ...

We were thrilled when our guests turned up in this beautiful kit car and allowed us to take a photograph for the Blog. This is a Ford chassis with hours of work to build the body and engine. There are always interesting vehicles arriving at Cragend Grange with many of our guests loving their cars. The last time there was one of this style however, was over a century ago. (old p ...

Cragside is one of the National Trust's top properties, enthralling children and adults alike. It was originally the home of Lord William Armstrong. Cragend Farm was also part of this estate, for Armstrongs prize cattle,  and we are located on the south side of the estate. Featured on Channel 5 on Tuesday 27th March 2018  with Alan Titchmarsh, it showcased the great house and ...

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to your fantastic farm on the Historic Houses tour on Tuesday. We both agree that it was the most interesting HHA visit we have ever done - and we have done many over the years! We had no idea of the extent of the Armstrong connection or what you have there, having visited Cragside on so many occasions in the past 50 years or so. And indeed looked down on the farm from the walks at Cragend quite recently. We particularly enjoyed ascending and descending the ladders to look at the hydraulic equipment and get an idea of how it all functioned, the beautiful and unusual buildings which had housed the cattle, and were intrigued by the contents of your "underground " loo! Peacocks and chicks, hens and a beautiful pet lamb added to the feel of the farm.

Shaun & Lou Renwick are keen to harness the farm's natural resources, using wood to heat their water, to cook with on a wood burning range, and to heat the houses on the Farm. Even if your house is not equipped to totally run on wood there are things you can do to make sure you are using the best quality wood for your fires.

Why use Seasoned Wood?

Seasoned wood is a definition for 'wood drying'. About 5% of the energy of the log is wasted through evaporation and heating the water vapour of damp logs.

Moisture effects the burning process with unburnt hydrocarbons going up the chimney, which can in time create 'sooting' in the chimney, with the possibility of a chimney fire, all of which requires specialist sweeping.

Drying the wood before burning reduces moisture content in the wood before it is used for burning,

Air drying is the most traditional method, and it takes time. usually over and above 2 years! The fire will use less energy to burn the log if the water content is below 20%. Therefore is can give OUT more energy in the form of heat!

Cragend Farm endeavours to provide their customers with the best seasoned wood possible.

if you would like further information on the process of burning wood please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Why seasoned wood?

Thank you so much Lou and Shaun for a great holiday break on your farm at Cragend last week. East Cottage was a super place to stay. Very comfortable accommodation with everything we needed for self-catering and situated next to the beautiful Cragside National Trust gardens. It was super for our dog with fields to walk across as well as a secure fenced place for her to run off lead! Such interesting history too about the farm and how you have restored the buildings, the Victorian silo and so much else of the past farming life at Cragend. We look forward to returning! J&M Nottingham.

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