People

Robert and I have been married for too many years to mention and have three wonderful grown up children  and  three  beautiful  grandchildren.   

We built our current family home on the farm over 25 years ago, and feel very privileged to have lived and worked in such a beautiful area of this fantastic county of Devon. By building Harefield Barn, we are not only able to share this lovely location with you, but during the challenging times ahead for agriculture we hope to be able to provide a secure future here for ourselves and our extended family.

A little more about us...

Robert

My  father,  Arthur  moved  with  his  parents  and  sisters  from  their  farm  near   Rackenford in 1941, and that farming heritage continues to this day. Arthur married a local girl who had recently completed her training as a radiographer and they set up home at Shute Farm. 

I am the eldest of their six children, and in partnership with Deborah, we are proud to continue that family farming tradition. The farm has various enterprises, including 26 acres of cider apple orchards, and a variety of  cereal  crops. 

Modern farming  brings  many  challenges, and with an ever changing future in prospect, we hope Harefield Barn will be a great way to share  this beautiful corner of Devon and help support the agricultural side of the busines

Deborah

My background is in  administration,  working  initially  as  the Partner's Personal Assistant  in  a  local firm  of  architects,  followed  by  a  period  working as  a Registered  Childminder  whilst our own children were small.  Once the three of them were established into school life, I went back to work during term time in local schools, firstly as a Classroom Assistant and then as a School Administrator

I have recently left work as a Registrar for Devon County Council to concentrate on our new business. Based in Tiverton, I was privileged to carry out birth and death registrations and take marriage notices for hundreds of local families, and in doing so, be part of their lives at such important moments.

My role also led me to conduct weddings both in the Register Office and at some of Devon's most beautiful venues.  This experience has given me a great insight into both what is needed of the physical space and the care and attention required to make each event special and personal to the people involved. I can bring all this experience to bear when helping you plan your event, guiding you through the whole process, and even conducting a personal Comittment Ceremony for you if that is your wish.

And of course, we shouldn't forget HOLLY - our fearsome rat catcher and rabbit scarer??  Well that's what she's supposed to be good for!  

The  Team

Our  Team  here  at  Harefield  Barn will be  made  up  of  local  people  where  possible, from front of house and bar staff, to those working behind the scenes keeping the place spick and span.  Staffing   levels   can   be   as   flexible   as   you   need,   customised   according   to   your   personal requirements.  You can either choose to have your event fully staffed, or we will leave you to enjoy your  time  at  Harefield  Barn  uninterrupted  unless  you  need  us,  in  which  case we  are  only  minutes away.