Back in July 2014 when I started this blog, one of my first posts was about Jonathan Meades documentary “Severn Heaven” from 1990, in which he visited the Hill Farm chalet field next to the River Severn near Bewdley. Almost six years to the day I went there myself and it’s still much as it was when Meades filmed it.
There are bits of the film on YouTube and here’s one of the clips, showing the river and the chalets from the air, with Howard Davidson’s rather rousing music.
The site was established before the Second World War as people built holiday homes to escape the cities, before Labour’s 1947 Town and Country Planning Act took away people’s freedom to do it. It was a feature of the time that these chalets were self-built, and no two are the same. Compare today’s uniform ranks of factory-made “chalets” in a caravan park. Some plotlands were aimed at the new breed of interwar car owners, but most were accessible by train and that’s the case with Hill Farm.
Today the Northwood Halt station is on the Severn Valley preserved railway, run largely by enthusiasts and operating steam engines and classic diesels. Due to COVID-19 they were just running line checks (I think) with 33108 and 50035 “Ark Royal”. The road crossing the railway leads straight to chalet fields either side of the line. All of the following photos are from the lower field next to the river.
Near the entrance is this board showing the layout of the site, the rules and regulations, and listing the names of the chalets. It’s a feature of these sites up and down the country that people choose personal or joking names for their chalets. There’s Hill Crest, Keswick, The Haven, Fairhaven, Dunroamin, Herzamine, and both Woodland View and Forest View.
Different plotlands grew in different ways. Some were laid out like conventional housing estates with plots occupying all the space within a network of roads. But in chalet fields like Hill Farm, the plots were allocated along the field boundaries. In the case of Hill Farm, the fields are still used for grazing.
Once you get into the site, the variety of styles is striking.
Recently the freehold was sold, and as the rules on the board explain, the chalet owners have a mixture of year round and summer season only tenancies. It’s probably the case that planning permission for holiday use or as a primary residence differs between the chalets, either frozen in time according to their use when the law was changed in 1947, or as the result of people establishing residential use for four years without council enforcement action. I hope the change of freehold ownership does not result in any attempts to destroy the site, as has happened elsewhere.
As a bit of fun, here’s a slider comparison showing the similarity between chalets/huts in Hill Farm and Carbeth near Glasgow, 300 miles away. I could have done this for any pair of photos between the two sites, between a dozen other sites I’ve visited.
I’ve found two more blog posts about the site from 2009 and from 2010, with interesting comments from their readers, and there’s a page about the “Severn Heaven” documentary on MeadesShrine.
If you come across this post and have a connection to the site, then a comment would be really welcome. Any special memories or even photographs of the site over the decades?
My dad is 82, mom 77. Dad had his first holiday chalet approx 1960, then bought and lived in 2 others over the years.
They are still there now and wouldn’t live anywhere else.
His aunt Edna was one of the first people to own a chalef back in the 1930’s, my aunt aged 87 had her bungalow over 50 years. As an extended family we have so many fond memories… And oh so many photos. Do you love a place because its nostalgic? Or is it nostalgia that makes you love a place. Bewdley Hill Farm, swinging on the home made rope swings in the big oak tree, having a big den in the rotten middle of the same tree. Fetching water from the field taps before it was connected to the bungalows , and dad lighting the gas lamps before electricity was connected. Manning the gate for the holiday makers, collecting pennies, dividing the spoil to spend in old ma Margaret’s farm shop on penny chews, collecting eggs from the barn. Staring out the old bull. Blackberry picking, lazy summer days, playing family board games in the evenings. So so many memories. My parents are dreading the changes now the site is in new hands. 100 years of holiday shacks, as much as it changes it somehow stays the same.
Hi Susan …. As a child l was brought up at Northwood Halt with Ray Court, Becky is sister, l am Margaret, my brother Malcolm, l can remember doing all, you are saying….you say you have loads of photos..would it be possible to email some .are you living up there now many thanks Margaret.
New owners 2021 ground rent £5000.00
It would be interesting to see how the new ground rent compares to the fees on the site near Glasgow.
Sam, can you tell me more about the price hike? The property we are due to view does not mention this and the ground rent is still listed as £1350. Its a deal breaker. many thanks for any info you have please.
If you are viewing through an agent ask them -they have a responsibility to inform you of the situation – if they reply with ‘the owners inform us it is x’ ask them if they are aware of any issues or disputes around ground rent. If they say there are no known ussues …. then that would be an untruth. You could contact Hill Farm Residents association.
How much has the ground rent gone up by?. I’d love to live there as I used to live in Bewdley a few years ago.
Who used to own this site?
Having just read the history of the chalets at Hill Farm, the charm of the place shines through the written words. The initial way of life there may have had some disadvantages but the beauty, tranquility and general setting transfixed in time, more than compensates. Friends of mine live in one of the chalets. They raised their family in the seclusion from the modern day attitude of fast living. Happy times. Now, however they live in the shadow of the Sword of Damocles. Will it drop and their chosen way of life be gone forever? They and the other residents live the life sought by so many, but found by so few. I am given to understand that the ownership of the ‘estate’ recently changed hands. As such uncertainty and financial burden now goes hand in hand with what was a kind of utopia. Maybe the incoming owner has yet to realise that he has such a treasure in his hands. Not treasure gained through vastly increased ground rents, but the treasure buried in the historical charm and deep rootef beauty of the place. Sometimes it can take a while to realise that what one can buy with money, comes with such a bonus of wealth not from the vision of increased rental charges, but from the purity of knowing when to stop and look around at the true wealth of the beauty and charm. Sought by many, achieved by few. Change is not always desired.
Lovely thoughts, truly, but I doubt that the new owner Mr Wenman will soften in his approach. I encourage everyone to support morally, if not financially, the efforts being made through Law to regularise the tenure of residents at Hill Farm in the face of horrendous ground rent increases.
My Father purchased a mobile home on this site when I was 13 years old in 1981, I spent many happy teenage years walking for miles and exploring the surrounding area every weekend. I would visit every weekend with my girlfriend when I was around 18/19 years old but 4 events with the supernatural left us too afraid to visit, I still visit from Wednesbury once or twice a year and the bungalow hasn’t changed much, it still has the same curtains as when my father sold it around 1990, I have never told anyone but close friends and family of the events in the late 80s but I was young and scared easily, I realised with age that we wasn’t ever in any danger and I would actually love to stay in the same mobile home again just for the experience. I won’t name the bungalow out of respect for the now owners. Fantastic site. Always in my thoughts.
We have a history of occupation here of one bungalow or another going back many decades
Millcroft
Pennyford
And for the past 60 plus years at Valda ex Hill Farm now Severn Meadow the farm having been divided out.
So sad to see the havoc that is being wrecked on the owners of property on the top of Hill Farm by the new owner.
This rare idyl of a plotland site has to be preserved – Bewdley does not need, nor has the resources to support yet another plastic static holiday park.
My wife and I are also residents on hill farm…and have been for 40 years…a place where our children grew up..and saw sights of the surrounding country side that sadly most children never see. It would be a tragedy in itself if we lost the heritage of this place..so pleasedont let this happen. For sake of the past and present who built this heritage.
Hi. – yes all gone pear shaped for the Hill farm site above the railway. Lots want to sell up .
Sent from my iPhone
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Hi All, Forgive me for advertising, I am the author of Hill Farm and the Story of Bewdley Plotlands, (Ebrook Press. £8.95+£2.00 post and packing). The book details the unique circumstances of how this fascinating site came to be and includes residents reminisces and lots of beautiful photographs. It also serves as a reminder of how precious these plotland areas are and why they are so important to our culture. Available via Wyre Forest Books, Load St. Bewdley, Worcs or http://www.paypal.me/ebrookpress.
I was going to buy the book ,but my lovely friend brought it for my birthday, as l grew up on hill farm from the age of 2 …..,lovely reading brings back so many lovely memories , such a shame its changing.
Residents here need support from the community
I live at what us now known as Severn Meadow. I have tried to find out what the situation is facing the tenants on Hill Farm but no info is forthcoming. In what way can we support the tenants up there, any ideas?
Hi,
Do you have any updates of the current situation of these properties? We visited a few time and spoke to residents, estate agents, land owner’s solicitors etc and we’ve been told numerous and different stories.
Would be very interested to acquire a chalet @ Hill Farm but we only got conflicting information..
Thank you
If anyone wants any information on my court case witch the owner had too settle out of court I have got alot of information for them too fight the new owners
Currently the bungalows at Hill Farm are the subject of a court case. The residents association (to which over 90% of the occupants are members) have initiated legal proceedings to recognise they have occupied this land with full consent of the various owners for around 100 years and establish their rights to continue to live quietly in their homes. Understandably, to prevent any misunderstandings the residents do not wish to talk publicly about the situation.
Tell the residents to get in touch with me
Lyndon I would be interested to see what you have to say but how do we contact you?
Hi, looking at buying a property on Hill Farm which i like, but been told the ground rent is going up to 5000 a year which seems alot of money considering its not the best kept site by any means in the area! residents say its going to court for an appeal! so what do i do as i think they want me to sign an agreement?
My mum and dad had a bungalow in the late 60s and I was born in 1970. It was on the bottom part of Hill Farm that overlooked the road.
I remember riding down the bank in front of the bungalow and the steam train.
There was a lad called Graham who took us for rides in his car.
For many years I had dreams that I couldn’t understand.
When returning from NZ some years back my uncle took me to the Bungalow and I recognized it straight away.
Steve Pierce
Wellington New Zealand
The new landlord is just a greedy developer who wants to replace the existing homes with 300 caravans, a pub a shop etc. He has no regard for the current residents and hiked the rents for the land the chalets sit on by 300% and sent a licence out for them to sign for 12 months. When they refused to sign the impossible to live by licence and his illegal rent hike, he then sent out eviction notices to all the residents, some of which have been there for sixty years!! So yes! Bewdley and Trimpley residents need to help out if they don’t want another plot of greenbelt and history lost forever. The residents are in a high court battle with the landowner to keep their homes which is costing millions of pounds. So next time you see a Hill Farm Residents fundraising event please support them
We have looked at some properties on Hill Farm
It looks a wonderful place to live just the 2 of us. Quiet, spacious and ideal. But what risks would we be taking if we bought now. Has anything been decided with the ground rent. Is it going to be £5K or year., and how long for. Is there going to be another increase again soon. Is the new owner just determined to remove all existing chalets to accommodate mobile holiday homes
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2EVA2WN4KPJpzQwB/ this is the link to our funding page, please donate, we need help to save our homes
I am appalled at what is happening here!
The occupiers of this utopia must be mortified.My wife,my granddaughter and I passed Hill Farm settlement only yesterday 15th February 2024 on the railway,we could not believe how beautiful the position was.
Those poor owners have a fight on there hands I believe,I just hope that the local council can be of assistance but unfortunately I doubt they will be bothered.
They need to stick together and try to get help from their MP it also needs to be passed to the National press to expose what is going on,that way people all over the country will get involved,but don’t leave it too long.
Must be the Susan I Knew some time ago, had some good times in Bewdley and remember your Dads Place. I stopped over a couple of times with Bill & Martin. I remember your Mum and Dad too. I saw them a few years ago somewhere else. Good people. I also remember Katherine. I used to call her Kate and your brother would correct me every time. Her name is Katherine. He knew I was playing him up. Well nice to hear you are all good. Take care and give my regards to the family.
High Court action to stop the eviction of tenants on Hill Farm Bewdley against Michael Wenman
We, the residents of Hill Farm in Bewdley, urgently need your help to raise £2.5 million to take our case to the High Court in London. Without your support, 163 families face imminent eviction from their beloved homes.
Time is running out, and we cannot fight this battle alone.
Our community here at Hill Farm, nestled along the picturesque Severn Valley in Bewdley, Worcestershire, represents a unique piece of 20th-century history.
These charming homes, many originally built by WW1 veterans, stand as a testament to resilience and hope and represent one of the last remaining plotlands sites in the UK. Losing them would not only displace families but also erase a vital part of our heritage.
As part of the Bewdley community, our parents and grandparents settled here under informal agreements, creating a haven of peace and nature away from industrial life.
However, we now face a significant challenge following the sale of the site on which our homes stand, heightened by an imbalance of power and resources.
Our community ranges from the elderly, disabled and vulnerable to families with young children, all of whom deserve to live a life free from fear and homelessness.
We need to raise £2.5m to secure our tenure in court and protect our right to remain in our homes.
This is our last chance to ensure that our homes, and the history they embody, are preserved for ourselves and future generations.
Your support can make a difference in preserving a piece of history and keeping our community safe in their homes. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to security.
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaveHillFarmBewdley
PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://gofund.me/d20861fa
Thank you for standing with us at this critical time.