The background to the Thistledown story

Thistledown is borne of one man’s vision to bring an English farm’s history to life for its visitors, and provide an insight into how farming and building methods will need to be reconsidered in light of climatic changes and dwindling natural resources.

Richard Kelly was born in Kenya and lived in various countries across Africa, working with his family to build and develop hotels.

As a child he went to boarding school in England, attending Wynstones, near Gloucester, where he enjoyed the Steiner- based educational approach. After gaining a National Agricultural Diploma at Hartpury Agricultural College in Gloucestershire, he began to work as a dairyman and farmer, becoming aware of how traditional methods of farming and land management were changing in response to short-term, profit-led thinking.

In order to raise money to purchase his first farm, Richard set up an integrated building and landscaping design company using his experience of construction that he gained in Africa. He excelled as a designer and his high standard of craftsmanship won him awards, with one of his stunning conversions featuring in Country Living. Over the years, he has been involved in many innovative design projects, notably motivated by ecological principles and an awareness of environmental issues.

Finally realising his passion for farming, Richard bought his first small farm over twenty years ago, eventually progressing to acquiring Thistledown Farm in 1993. Despite the fact that the farm had been completely mismanaged up to this point, with the ploughed fields left unseeded and unworked and the dairy in imminent danger of being closed down by Environmental Health, Richard was captivated by the potential loveliness of the lower meadows and their rich wildlife. He made it his mission to restore the land to its former natural beauty, enhancing the meadows by clearing the undergrowth and brambles and taking advice from specialist consultants on how best to create and preserve habitats for the diverse flora and fauna.

In response to government agency advice and an awareness of the changing climate in farming, he relinquished his successful organically managed dairy herd and green top milk round to begin a pioneering scheme of farming elderflowers on a large scale, in collaboration with a local drinks company. In pursuing knowledge of new and diverse agricultural methods, Richard researched around Europe everything from agro-forestry to animal husbandry and woodland management. In witnessing the impact of global farming methods and the crises of BSE and Foot and Mouth that ravaged farming communities of this country, Richard developed his belief in the need for a long-term sustainable approach in all facets of farming and construction.

Thus the idea for the Thistledown Project was conceived: created by a solid background in both agriculture and building and design, and fuelled by a commitment to the environment, the history of the land and future sustainability. Since its conception, and much hard work, Thistledown has received full planning permission for the project as well as wide-ranging support from the local community, district, county, regional and national organisations.