Webbery Barton (Devon)

Owned by Pat and Raymond Ford, Webbery Barton is a regular meet of the Torrington Farmers Hunt according to Devon County Hunt Sabs (see links below). Parts of the farm owned by the Fords that the hunt uses hosts the expansive Gammatron Moor solar farm – an interesting development given that back in November 2004, just months before the passing of the Hunting Act which banned hunting with hounds, the very same Fords were quoted in a BBC news article saying that along with another local farmer they had “decided to end co-operation with utilities companies in protest at the hunting ban. They claim they are exercising their right to restrict access to their land because the government is denying them the right to hunt. Pat and Raymond Ford are withdrawing permission for an overhead electricity line due to be built across their land…” What could have changed their mind? We don’t know of course, but it is true that hunting at Webbery Barton seems to have continued relatively unchanged since the passing of the Act, and it is also true that leasing land to renewable energy companies is markedly more lucrative than allowing a pylon or two to be built…