Agricultural History Gallery

Farrier, Woodbastwick, Norfolk AA98_13563

Woodbastwick, Norfolk. Interior of blacksmiths shop. A farrier shoeing a horse. A working horse would need re-shoeing about every five weeks. Here a hot shoe is measured against the horse's hoof, and the farrier can tell by the mark left how much to alter the shoe. However, the post-war campaign to mechanise agriculture meant that within a decade of this picture being taken there were few working farriers left. Photographed by Hallam Ashley, February 1949

© Historic England

Disc harrowing, Lincolnshire AA98_09683

Disc harrowing near Honington, Lincolnshire. The mechanisation of agricultural practices made farming more intensive and productive, although tractors were often used in conjunction with horses rather than instead of them. Here traditional methods rub shoulders with newer technology. In the distance is Normanton Hill, known as the Lincolnshire Cliff. Photographed by Hallam Ashley in October 1940

© Historic England

Foxash Estate EAW171546

Foxash Estate, Ardleigh, Essex. One of a series of Land Settlement Association schemes of co-operative smallholdings set up in the 1930s. It originally encouraged unemployed people to take on smallholdings to grow vegetables for profit. The scheme was wound up in the 1980s, but some smallholders joined a cooperative - Foxash Growers Ltd - which continues to produce today. Photographed by Aerofilms in 1967

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