Hop Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hop Farm |
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Oast Houses at The Hop Farm
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| Location | Beltring |
The Hop Farm is a huge country park in Beltring, Kent, England. It covers about 400 acres, which is like 300 football fields! This amazing farm is over 450 years old. It's famous for having the biggest collection of 'oast houses' anywhere. These unique buildings were used to dry hops for making beer.
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A Look Back at The Hop Farm's History
Hops have been grown at The Hop Farm since the 1500s. In 1574, a man named William Lambarde bought the farm. He then gave it to a group called the Worshipful Company of Drapers.
The Drapers' Company owned the farm for over 300 years. The money they earned from the farm helped support special homes called almshouses in Greenwich. The farm grew lots of hops, especially for a big brewing company called Whitbread.
Famous Hop Farmers
In the late 1800s, Edward White rented the farm. He was known as a "legend" in the hop world. He made the farm much bigger and helped create new types of hops. One of his new hops, called White Golding, was very popular with Whitbread.
When Edward White retired in 1920, Whitbread bought the farm. This was the first time it had changed owners in over 300 years! A man named John Waghorn then managed the farm. He was also considered a legend, just like Edward White.
Changes Over the Years
The farm stayed with Whitbread until 1997. It became known as The Whitbread Hop Farm. Even though it was a working farm, Whitbread started letting visitors come as early as the 1930s.
In the 1990s, Whitbread decided to sell the farm. In 1997, Brent and Fiona Pollard bought it for £2 million. They faced many challenges, like a drought and floods. They also had to deal with a gas pipeline being installed and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
Despite these problems, the Pollands managed to make the farm successful. In 2006, The Hop Farm was sold again to Kent Attractions Ltd. Then, in 2007, Peter Bull bought it. The farm faced some tough times with fewer visitors in 2012. In 2013, the company went into liquidation, but another company from The Hop Farm group saved it.
Exciting Events at The Hop Farm
The Hop Farm has always been a place for fun events. Many exciting shows and festivals have taken place here over the years.
Monster Trucks and More
One of the biggest events was the annual War and Peace Show. This show started in 1982 and grew to be the largest military vehicle show in the world! It had thousands of enthusiasts and over 3,500 vehicles. The show moved from The Hop Farm in 2012.
The park also hosts other cool events. These include European Championship Monster Truck Racing, where huge trucks crush cars! The Kent County Fair and Paws in the Park (a dog show) have also been held here.
Music Festivals and Concerts
The Hop Farm is also a popular spot for outdoor music. In 2006, a concert with Craig David was planned here. That same year, Terry Wogan's Summer Proms also took place at the farm.
From 2008 to 2012, The Hop Farm Festival was held every July. This festival grew very big, with over 50,000 people attending! Many famous international artists performed there. These included Bob Dylan, Prince, The Eagles, Blondie, Neil Young, Primal Scream, The Fratellis, and Florence and the Machine.
The festival was cancelled in 2013 because not enough tickets were sold. However, since 2015, The Hop Farm has been the home of the Chilled in a Field Festival.
