The Hop Farm Country Park
Encyclopedia
The Hop Farm Family Park is a 400 acres (1.6 km²) Country Park
in Beltring
, near East Peckham
in Kent
, England
, is over 450 years old, and has the largest collection of oast house
s in the world.
brewery. Originally a working farm, the brewery opened it up to visitors and it proved a popular attraction.
As Whitbread were seeking to move out of the brewing trade, they began looking for new owners in the 1990s.
In 1997 Mohamed Al-Fayed
wanted to buy The Hop Farm to stable his Shire horse
s, and another rival wanted it for a rare breeds centre, but Brent and Fiona Pollard were successful in their purchase, at a cost of 2 million pounds (beating their nearest rival by £5000). Unfortunately, due to mis-management, the business was in trouble; turnover was around £700,000 a year and in 1995 losses were £1.5 million. In their first year the Pollands reduced staff from 50 to 14 and suffered a drought, floods, a gas pipeline installation and the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. However they broke even, and in subsequent years their profits grew.
to the 1970s.
, the museum is located in the park's collection of oast house
s and features exhibits and a film about growing and harvesting hops.
of famous people, including politics and royalty, sports, television, film, theatre and music. There is also a torture cellar.
The main event is the annual War and Peace Show
. First put on in 1982, it has grown to be the largest military vehicle show in the world, with 10,000 enthusiasts and over 3,500 vehicles attending.
In addition to this, the park hosts a number of events such as European Championship Monster Truck
Racing, The Kent County Fair, and Paws in the Park.
The Hop Farm is also an outdoor music venue. In 2006 a concert starring Craig David
should have launched the Tunbridge Wells SpaFest, to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the town but it was called off due to local complaints, and a substitute concert was staged at The Hop Farm. That year also saw Terry Wogan's Summer Proms staged there.
Over the first weekend of July, the Hop Farm Festival
can be found at the park. Starting in 2008, the festival has grown to a capacity of over 50,000 people, playing host to many internationally artists including Bob Dylan
, Blondie
, Neil Young
, Primal Scream
, The Fratellis
and Florence and the Machine
among others.
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
in Beltring
Beltring
Beltring is a village in the local government district of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England.Beltring is known for the annual War and peace show which takes place at The Hop Farm Country Park...
, near East Peckham
East Peckham
East Peckham is a village in Kent, England, made up of nine hamlets and situated about east of Tonbridge on the River Medway. It was the centre for the hop growing industry in Kent and is still home to the Hop Farm which has the world's largest collection of Oast Houses.-History:The Domesday entry...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is over 450 years old, and has the largest collection of oast house
Oast house
An oast, oast house or hop kiln is a building designed for kilning hops as part of the brewing process. They can be found in most hop-growing areas and are often good examples of vernacular architecture...
s in the world.
History
Until 1997 The hop farm was known as The Whitbread Hop Farm and was owned by the WhitbreadWhitbread
Whitbread PLC is a global hotel, coffee shop and restaurant company headquartered in Dunstable, United Kingdom. Its largest division is Premier Inn, which is the largest hotel brand in the UK with around 580 hotels and over 40,000 rooms. Its Costa Coffee chain has around 1,600 stores across 25...
brewery. Originally a working farm, the brewery opened it up to visitors and it proved a popular attraction.
As Whitbread were seeking to move out of the brewing trade, they began looking for new owners in the 1990s.
In 1997 Mohamed Al-Fayed
Mohamed Al-Fayed
Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Fayed is an Egyptian businessman and billionaire. Amongst his business interests are ownership of the English Premiership football team Fulham Football Club, Hôtel Ritz Paris and formerly Harrods Department Store, Knightsbridge...
wanted to buy The Hop Farm to stable his Shire horse
Shire horse
The Shire horse is a breed of draught horse or draft horse . The breed comes in many colours, including black, bay and grey. They are a tall breed, with mares standing and over and stallions standing and over. The breed has an enormous capacity for weight pulling, and Shires have held the world...
s, and another rival wanted it for a rare breeds centre, but Brent and Fiona Pollard were successful in their purchase, at a cost of 2 million pounds (beating their nearest rival by £5000). Unfortunately, due to mis-management, the business was in trouble; turnover was around £700,000 a year and in 1995 losses were £1.5 million. In their first year the Pollands reduced staff from 50 to 14 and suffered a drought, floods, a gas pipeline installation and the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. However they broke even, and in subsequent years their profits grew.
Yesterdays Village
A life-size recreation of a period village with street scenes, shops and genuine artefacts on display from the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
to the 1970s.
Hop Story Museum
Based upon the farm's original use to produce hopsHops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
, the museum is located in the park's collection of oast house
Oast house
An oast, oast house or hop kiln is a building designed for kilning hops as part of the brewing process. They can be found in most hop-growing areas and are often good examples of vernacular architecture...
s and features exhibits and a film about growing and harvesting hops.
Legends in Wax
A wax museumWax museum
A wax museum or waxworks consists of a collection of wax sculptures representing famous people from history and contemporary personalities exhibited in lifelike poses....
of famous people, including politics and royalty, sports, television, film, theatre and music. There is also a torture cellar.
Other attractions
- Enchanted Kingdom - themed play area
- Children's Driving School - track for small cars and trucks for children to drive
- Magic Factory - a fun house
- Shires & Friends Animal Farm - petting farm
- Victorian carouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
- A maze, children's activity and craft areas, children's rides, a 3-D film3-D filmA 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
attraction
Events
War and Peace show
The War and Peace show is the world's largest military vehicle and militaria collectors fair. It is held annually over several days at The Hop Farm in Beltring, Kent, England...
. First put on in 1982, it has grown to be the largest military vehicle show in the world, with 10,000 enthusiasts and over 3,500 vehicles attending.
In addition to this, the park hosts a number of events such as European Championship Monster Truck
Monster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
Racing, The Kent County Fair, and Paws in the Park.
The Hop Farm is also an outdoor music venue. In 2006 a concert starring Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
should have launched the Tunbridge Wells SpaFest, to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the town but it was called off due to local complaints, and a substitute concert was staged at The Hop Farm. That year also saw Terry Wogan's Summer Proms staged there.
Over the first weekend of July, the Hop Farm Festival
Hop Farm Festival
Hop Farm Music Festival is an annual music festival at The Hop Farm Country Park in East Peckham in the English county of Kent, created by Festival Republic founder, Vince Power...
can be found at the park. Starting in 2008, the festival has grown to a capacity of over 50,000 people, playing host to many internationally artists including Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Primal Scream
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
, The Fratellis
The Fratellis
The Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
and Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
among others.