© New Barn Field Centre 2022
Home of the National Model Museum Trust
Where Learning Comes To Life
Weather in Bradford Peverell
The property;
The ‘New Threshing Barn’ along with the two workers cottages at the front of the centre were built some 300 years ago as part of the farming estate. As time went by a cart shed was added, which now houses the ‘Pottery’, another pair of cottages that have become ‘the Farmhouse’ , then a pair of hay barns, which are now the ‘Cottages’, along with another cart shed which has become the ‘Hayloft’. Matthew has added to this with tastefully designed new buildings; the ‘Town Hall’, ‘Betty’s Lodge’, new hay barns & workshops and the current project the new Kitchen, ‘Coffee shop’ and dining area.
The team;
Matthew came to know what was then ‘New Barn’ back in the early 1980’s, and at that time It was run down shell of an old farmstead and in need of that special touch and when he had a chance to buy a cottage there he jumped at the opportunity.
After Matthew had restored the derelict cottage to it’s former glory suddenly a large proportion of the rest of ‘New Barn’ came up for sale in 1987 and Matthew’s father Neville joined the venture enabling them to make the purchase.
Having a working knowledge of property, the tourism industry and educational field centres the concept of what is now New Barn Field Centre came to being.
In 1989 the first groups started to arrive at New Barn and it won the ‘Come to Britain’ enterprise award which Neville happily accepted on behalf of Tecquay Ltd, our family business.
Over the next few years Matthew and Neville pushed forward with their vision, while Matthew’s first two daughters ‘Nettie & Abi’ were born into the business, and in 1992 were able to buy the surrounding farmland and the building that is now ‘The Coffee Shop’.
Sadly in 1998 Neville died suddenly on Easter Sunday and now resides under the oak tree at the top of the field where he can gaze over the glorious Dorset downlands and hills.
Matthew continues to drive the dream, now with yet another daughter ‘Betty’ in his team.
The ‘team’ at New Barn can be seen on our ‘meet the staff’ section of this web site.
