Time line

1993

Public launch of the Countryside Restoration Trust. Sir Laurens van der Post accepts role of Patron. Purchase of Telegraph Field in Barton, Cambridgeshire (22 acres).

1994

Planting of hedge in Telegraph Field and first Open Days at Barton.

1995

Purchase of Holt Field. Land now totals 40 acres.Donation from Her Majesty the Queen and a visit by Prince Charles.

1996

Purchase of Warner’s Corner (50 acres) from Mr Mervyn Page (Robin’s father) at a hugely discounted price.

1997

Lark Rise Farm Appeal reaches £200,000. Sir Laurens van der Post sadly dies.
     

1998

Purchase of 140 acres at Barton with the aid of Heritage Lottery Fund. Lark Rise Farm is formed.

1999

Nan Major leaves CRT £120,000 in her Will. Her ashes are spread on Lark Rise Farm. First harvest for Lark Rise Farm on Nan’s Field.

2000

David Powell gifts Awnells Farm, Herefordshire (220 acres). Mary Thorley gifts Buxted, Sussex (5 acres). David Shepherd agrees to be Patron.

2001

Duncan Elliot gifts Margaret Wood, Yorkshire (32 acres). Purchase of Westfield (120 acres) extends Lark Rise Farm.

2002

Robin Page completes Butterfly Safari raising over £10,000 for The Gordon Beningfield Memorial Appeal.

2003

Purchase of Turnastone Court Farm, Herefordshire (247 acres). Star-studded CRT Tenth Anniversary Celebration at The Royal Institution of Great Britain.

2004

Greta McDonough gifts Mayfields Farm, Norfolk (40 acres). Gerald Sanctuary gifts Harold’s Grove (8.5 acres). Prince Charles visits Lark Rise Farm again.

2005

Jason Martin gifts land at Bicker, Lincolnshire (12 acres). 

2006

Jo Baker gifts Pierrepont Farm, Surrey (200 acres).

2007

John Broadbent-Jones gifts Green Farm, Churt, Surrey (200 acres).

2008

Purchase of Tinker's Field, Cambridge (30 acres) which borders Lark Rise Farm on three sides.
            

2009

Greta McDonough purchases a house for the CRT near Mayfields, enabling the appointment of a tenant. Signed walks at Lark Rise Farm are put in place.

2010

A new state-of-the-art dairy built at Pierrepont Farm.