The Farm
When you visit the island today, the building that the Visitors Centre is currently housed in is one of the old farm buildings on the island. It is the only remaining farm building that is accessible to visitors. Other farm buildings, including farm cottages, are lived and worked in by island workers today.
Brownsea Island Visitors Centre
The farm was initially created by Colonel Waugh, after he also created the pottery, and adopted a model farm that had been demonstrated at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.
Old Farm Buildings
A sale catalogue from 1899 described the extensive farm facilities, which included multiple stables, cow sheds, piggeries, a slaughter house, barns, a granary, an engine house, cart shed, and kennels.
The farm continued to thrive and increase in productivity through the beginning of the twentieth century, when the island was owned by the Van Raaltes. The population grew, and the farm became very important, as the island was largely self-sufficient during this period. Farm produce was consumed in the castle and by other residents.
Farm Cottages
To this day, you will see chickens roaming around the island, and you can see farm carts opposite the visitors centre, that have been carefully restored by a group of volunteers.
Jack Battrick, who grew up on the island recalls collecting fresh milk from large steel churns in the cowshed, and the rest was used to make cheese and butter. Sheep continued to graze, and poultry was farmed on the south shore. There were chickens, ducks and tame geese. Livestock, including pigs and calves, were taken on the horseboat on market day to the mainland, where they were loaded into wagons to be taken to Wimborne market.
Carts Store and Granary
Farm Carts
Brownsea Chicken
Gallery
