Our farming heritage
The Norton family have farmed at Church Farm, Frettenham, since 1946, when the farm and surrounding land was bought by Jack Norton, who moved here from Morley in Norfolk. There are about 400 acres of land used by the farm, which is basically split in two blocks - one north of Frettenham village around Church Farm and St Swithins Church, and one south of the village. On the farm there were originally pigs, cows, chickens and all manner of crops, from turnips and beans to wheat and barley.
Jack was joined in the family partnership by his sons Robert (Bob) and later Philip. Bob and Philip inherited the farm when Jack died in 1977, and the family partnership grew when Philip and Bob were joined by Bob's son David. The general development of agriculture and commercial pressures meant the farm had to become more specialised, so the dairy herd increased in size and the other livestock enterprises were given up, and cereals and sugar beet were preferred to vegetables. Bob sadly passed away in 2003, but David and Philip proudly carry on the family farming tradition, together with their respective wives Ruth and Rona, with 
some of the next generation coming along as well...
Bob Norton with a rather special delivery
in the early 50s - triplets are so rare this
lot made the local newspaper!
