Ringtail Farm & Brick Kilns diary

At first it was a puzzle as to what this ledger referred to. But a closer examination revealed that it belonged to the farm known then as Ringtail Farm, 116 acres, to the north-west of Fernham village. The name has since altered slightly to Ringdale. The ledger entries were  almost certainly written by James George who was aged around 27 and had been well educated. It covers in detail the planting of, crops, root vegetables such as swedes and turnips and who was being employed and paid to carry it all out. It also revealed the presence of a set of kilns that were being used to make drainage pipes for field irrigation, bricks for building, roof tiles and slates. The farm also produced butter and cheese. It is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a busy little farm in the mid 19th century.