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Mr Peck, who managed the government’s experimental farm at Knockaloe, was consulted at length and with his assistance the future size of the herd and the size of the buildings that would be needed to winter the stock was determined. The cost was a major concern because although the DAFF made grants available towards both the buildings and the necessary slurry pit, these grants are capped so that smaller producers get more help than larger ones; such is politics. John and Ed also needed to increase their herd and whether they retained stock that they bred or bought new breeding stock it would cost them a lot of money. Fortunately they had received a windfall because Rhenab farmhouse and the peripheral buildings had been chosen as a setting for the TV serial called ‘Island at War’. We had only just completed a major overhaul of Rhenab farmhouse both inside and out. The fact that, of all the farmhouses in the Island, the film producers chose Rhenab to be the best example of a farmhouse and farmyard true to the wartime period despite a major overhaul that was barely complete is, I believe, a wonderful endorsement of our estate management policy and our policy for the conservation of the Island’s heritage. We lent them money to erect the buildings and we also paid for a considerable amount of new fencing, hedge trimming and wall repairing at Ballafayle-e-Callow and elsewhere.
The buildings are very large and their visual impact on the environment worried me. We hope that we have done sufficient work to reduce their visual impact. The roofs are green as was required in the planning consent, and of course would have been in any case, but we have also painted all the Yorkshire boarding with green Cuprinol which has resulted in a considerable further improvement. We chose to fence off pieces of land around the buildings and have planted a large number of trees which will eventually hide the buildings and, indeed, all of the buildings at Ballaskeig Mooar. Rather than plant fast growing conifers which would both hide the buildings and offer shelter more quickly we have planted a mixture of native trees because this is always our policy. Native trees always look more appropriate and offer a far better habitat for wildlife. In order to shorten the time before the screen becomes established we bought more advanced trees than is our normal policy. In the meantime there is also the problem of the unsightly external walls of the slurry pit which had to be built to strict engineering standards laid down by the DAFF. We have addressed this by planting what will become a quite outstanding display of Cotoneasters with a wide range of the different genii of that family. Cotoneasters were chosen because of their habit of covering banks and walls. They will also produce a display of flowers and berries and become a considerable source of pollen for our bees and food for wild birds. John, Ed and our estate staff have very strict instructions that if there is ever a competition for the best kept farmyard in the Island then Ballaskeig Mooar must win it.
In addition to all the new fencing and the repairs to hedges and walls at Ballafayle-e-Callow we have also separated two existing wet areas which are overgrown with sallies so that they will become valuable conservation areas for wild life and this conservation will continue just as it does on the remainder of the Estate. We have also fenced off a further two areas which will be planted with trees to create small copses which will improve the environment visually and provide important shelter and food for wildlife.
I hope that I have explained our agriculture policy sufficiently. Of course, what is perhaps more relevant, is the wider subject of our estate management including forestry management, wild life conservation, organic vegetable and fruit production, honey production, conservation of our buildings, footpaths, stonewalls, hedges, the control of gorse, bracken and noxious weeds and, always, our concern for the National heritage.
On the subject of our ‘needs’ for residential accommodation I shall first set the accommodation that we have now:
Old Barony House is the house that W H Walker built at around the turn of the last century. This is a fine stone house which is ideally suited to a family. Our previous tenant lived here alone but left in 2003 and was replaced by Mr & Mrs John Newman and their two young children. John works in a financial services business in Douglas but he and his wife are passionate about the countryside and especially the Barony Estate. Their two children attend the Dhoon School at Glen Mona and they are ideally suited to live in this property.
Barony Farm Cottage is a very small one-bedroom cottage. It is not a very attractive cottage but Linda Pinkard, who works as a legal secretary in Douglas loves living alone in this rather isolated location. The views along the coast are spectacular.
Ballacorteen Farmhouse. Since our farms have been amalgamated we have two farmhouses which are no longer used by those farming the land. Glen Carter, together with his wife, daughter, and father-in-law has lived here for 8 years now and are ideal tenants. They love the countryside despite the fact that Glen runs a vehicle recovery and repair business in Ramsey while his wife is an accountant with Marks & Spencer. Unfortunately the house is in a dreadful state and we need to find alternative accommodation for them while we completely overhaul it. You know that we are currently applying for planning consent to convert the neighbouring old stone barn into a residential dwelling and we plan that they shall be the first occupiers while we do all the work on their home. As you know, the barn is very attractive externally and it would be a terrible shame to allow the roof to fall in and for the property to become yet another derelict ruin.
Rhenab Cottage is a tiny one-bedroom cottage in which Bobbie Moughtin has lived for over 10 years now.
Croit Nell is a delightful but very small two bedroom cottage at the end of that part of the Harbour Road which is realistically useable by motor vehicles. Elaine Pinkard and her son live here.
Ballaskeig Mooar is the house that Mr Dumbell used as a week-end retreat until his bank collapsed in 1900. It is a traditional old farmhouse which again is no longer needed by a resident farmer. However Ballaskeig Mooar, unlike Ballacorteen, is a working farmyard and as such it is unsuitable for a young family despite the fact that it is large enough. It would be dangerous for young children because of the constant operation of tractors and an assortment of other farm machinery. You are aware that we are currently in the course of converting the stable buildings to create a traditional bunkhouse so that we can offer youngsters, who will typically be taking gap years, the opportunity to learn rural estate management skills during the summer months when we have so much workload to keep on top of nature. The house has been occupied for over 5 years now by Lord St Helens, who prefers to be known as Rory. Rory fits into this environment extremely well and takes a huge interest in everything we do on the Estate. He regularly gives us practical help through his expertise in botany and electronics. We are very lucky to have such a good tenant who genuinely enjoys the noise and turmoil of daily farmyard life.
Ballig is a delightful little house and is perfect for Jim Begbie, who, together his wife has lived here since the 1970's and also rents the farmland on which they keep sheep and grow vegetables.
Ballagorrey is a small house with little to recommend it; however Howard and Susan Kneale are extremely happy here and have done some wonderful improvements over the 15 years that they have made it their home. Howard is a very accomplished stone mason who is retained full time to work on our stone walls and stone buildings. If our application is successful he will work on the restoration and construction work at Ballafayle-e-Callow. Howard also keeps a flock of sheep on the 9 acres of agricultural land at Ballagorrey and a further 37 acres on the hillside above the Ramsey-Laxey Road which is known as Upper Ballig.
Barony Lodge is a purposely constructed lodge house to the Estate. It was built by W H Walker at the same time that he built his holiday home near Barony Farm. Adrian Caine used to live at Barony Farm Cottage but we moved him into the Lodge because he is better placed to undertake his role as Head Warden. Adrian is a qualified forester and his principal work is in the planting and maintenance of our woodland. We plant about 2,000 new trees every year. This planting is done to create new woodland which becomes ideal habitat for wild life as they mature. Changes in agriculture have made some small fields unsuitable for agriculture and these make ideal small copses. We would love to plant more but it is a very time consuming operation and there is only a narrow window each year when the conditions are suitable. Adrian's work as Warden includes the policing of
the Estate, especially over summer weekends when we have an increasing problem with townsfolk who light fires, break down walls and fences, leave litter, and break into our buildings. He has a great love of the Estate and is very happy to do this work despite the threats and abuse he receives because many of the offending vandals are drunk. Having people living around the Estate does act as a deterrent to many of these people and this is the great advantage of having sufficient residents spread around the Estate.
Rhenab Farmhouse is a fine working farmhouse and is occupied by Ed Quayle and his brother Michael. Their mother and father formerly lived there and it represents the subject of a strict agricultural tenancy which passes from generation to generation under Manx Statute Law.
Upper Rhenab is a dilapidated house fastened onto a disused barn. You may recall that you called it a 'wreck attached to a ruin'. It really does need to be demolished and replaced. It is a wonderful site with splendid views down the valley. John Quayle (brother of Ed), his wife, Christine, and when they are home from University, their children, Ben and Vicky live here. John patched the place up to make a home when he got married and left the family home at Rhenab in about 1982. For your interest, I was in the process of completing the design to submit for planning approval to build a home here for my new family in 1979. Unfortunately, when my wife broke the news that she was carrying twins, we had to find a larger home very quickly and moved to Port-e-Vullen where we remain to this day.
Ballaskeig Beg is an extremely recent addition to the estate and was not bought with any strategic purpose. I referred above to the fact that Sid Brearley retired from farming Ballaskeig Mooar in 1977 and moved across the road to Ballaskeig Beg which he had owned for some years. When Sid died this tiny farmhouse together with 20 acres of land passed to his twin sons, Will and Harry and his daughter Jean. I mentioned that the land has been leased to John and Ed Quayle for some years. Will left the family home, married, and moved to Laxey, but Jean and Harry remained at Ballaskeig Beg. Will needed money for personal reasons and tried to persuade Jean and Harry that they should sell the property because he would receive a third of the proceeds. Jean and Harry had no desire whatever to leave their home, but for all that, the house was decaying. There were furious draughts around the windows and doors and they were perpetually cold through the winter. They had no form of heating other than an open fire which created yet more draught. They could not afford to repair the windows or doors and could certainly not afford any heating. Because of our long association Jean contacted me and, to cut a long story short, I bought the house and the land subject to the agreement that we would install central heating, make good the windows and doors, and grant a lease to Harry and Jean at a rent of one peppercorn for so long as they wish to remain there.
Ballaskeig Beg is obviously not available to serve any needs for housing, but, then nor are any others because we have never evicted a tenant from his or her home and we never
intend to do so. I hope that I have demonstrated that we have a very happy and harmonious community who live in houses that suit their individual needs excepting, of course, the dilapidation at Upper Rhenab and Ballacorteen. We do, however, have 'need' for further housing. And I would have thought that this is very reasonable. If one takes a walk around the Estate one immediately becomes aware of the large number of derelict homes that, not so long ago, housed a considerable community. We are now left with only 12 homes in over 1200 acres, or one for every 100 acres. Many of the houses are very small which means that we now have only one human for every 50 acres.
When we acquired Ballafayle-e-Callow we had to buy the building site and duly paid a huge some because it had planning consent for 4 houses. The speculative developer who offered the asking price was still there and I could have sold the land on to him. The houses that would have been built would be very small and so close together that the development would be far more appropriate to an urban or town setting.
Whereas my wife and I relinquished the opportunity to live on the Estate itself, we would very much hope that our three sons have the opportunity and take it up. Edward, at 27 years of age, is the oldest. He is a Chartered Accountant who has recently moved back to his birthplace having studied, trained and qualified in London. He loves the Estate far more than even I did at his age and has every intention of living on the Estate if he can have a house suitable to his position. He has shown a particular desire to live at Ballafayle-e-Callow and this would be very suitable as the future head of the family and therefore, Chairman of the board of Barony Estate Limited. He has practical experience of Estate Management having spent a considerable part of a gap year taming the undergrowth of Dayll Mooar.
We would like a smaller house at Ballafayle-e-Callow to be occupied by an Estate worker. Andy Walton manages our organic market garden, orchard, and beekeeping. As time allows he will diversify into free range organic poultry and keep a few pigs, again under a strict organic regime. Andy is married to Denise who is currently expecting their second child. Andy is desperate to live on the estate which he loves and, because Denise augments the family income by working in a financial services business in Douglas, they will be able to afford the appropriate rent for the second house I propose building.
In addition to Edward, we have twin sons aged 25 called Charles and Henry. Charles has returned to the Island and is a trainee Advocate with Cains in Douglas and will qualify very shortly. Henry is training to be a Chartered Surveyor and at the same time completing a Masters Degree at City University Business School in Property Law and Valuation. He cannot wait to complete his training and return to the Island. Both Charles and Henry would like to live within the Estate and this means that we shall continue to have a need for property appropriate to their position in the future. I am sure that you will understand my desire to have my heirs living on our Estate. Our three sons already have a substantial financial interest in the Estate and its ultimate holding company.
In closing this letter I shall take the opportunity of commenting on the specific design of the proposed houses at Ballafayle-e-Callow. As I understand it, the design was started with my desire to build a larger house for one of our sons and a second smaller home for a member of our Estate staff. I wanted the houses to be built substantially with Manx stone in keeping with the existing farm buildings and I wished to retain as much as possible of the existing buildings which could be restored to produce car parking, outhouses and a workshop. Some of the existing buildings are poorly built and in poor condition and therefore neither worthy nor suitable for conservation. I also wanted to retain a ‘courtyard’ among the existing stone walls. I specifically chose to use St Bees sandstone for the corners and the windows because this stone compliments the Manx stone so well and because of the history of the Christian family, The Barony Estate and The Barony of St Bees. The cable cottage on the beach at Port Cornaa is where the first telegraph cable from England to the Isle of Man came ashore from St Bees. It has corners and window sills in St Bees sandstone. I have probably never told you that I was at school at St Bees School where the administrative office was in Barony House and was built of St Bees sandstone as were the other school buildings.
I understand that the design of both houses and the surroundings was discussed at length with the DoLGE officials and that we had an understanding that it met with their general approval, subject of course to the meeting of the planning committee itself. I hope therefore that the discussion now is about the principal of building two homes rather than the specific details of our proposals.
If you need any further information about either our agricultural or estate management policies or our ‘needs’ for housing then please let me know.
Yours sincerely
Peter Whipp.
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