Our Story — Ben's Yard

“We want to share this incredible landscape with our local community and beyond, to create something beautiful and unique that nurtures the soul. Something for everyone, always.”

– VICTORIA MORBEY

A portrait photograph of a family sitting on a bench - a mother, father and four young children

- The Morbey Family: Alastair, Victoria, Izzy, George, Teddy & Archie -

Raising her children in the Fens, Victoria longed for the perfect place to meet a friend or grandparent; somewhere beautifully designed and inclusive – where a baby that plasters the floor with spaghetti is still waved off with a smile, and welcomed back again.

Alastair’s family have farmed the Stuntney Estate for five generations. Since 1857, the family have worked tirelessly to nurture the land, from devising the Fen’s innovative drainage system to preserving the quality and the diversity of the wildlife.

The 2,500-acre farm, known locally as Cole Ambrose after Alastair’s ancestor who bought it back in 1857, was once partially underwater. Like his relatives who devised the Fens’ innovative drainage system, Alastair has worked tirelessly to nurture the quality and diversity of the land you see today. Together, Victoria and Alastair had a vision: to create somewhere unique for people to meet, shop, explore and reconnect with nature.

TODAY, THAT DREAM IS REALISED

Historical photograph of a young man posing, holding a top hat and gloves

CUSTODIANS OF THE LANDSCAPE

Cole Ambrose was an astute and progressive farmer who moved to Stuntney Old Hall Farm in 1857. With 1,500 acres to manage, he needed considerable horse power – and built up the largest breeding herd of shire horses in England.

In 1878, he founded Britain’s Shire Horse Society and, by the turn of the century, had hundreds of heavy horses and hackney ponies working on the estate.

WINDS OF CHANGE

David Morbey, Owen’s nephew, worked on the farm and eventually inherited the estate. He introduced tractors and combines – but still maintained more than three dozen working shire horses.

Anthony Morbey, David’s son, inherited his father’s passion for farming – in particular potatoes and onions – and became a much-loved visionary who devoted much of his life to protecting the local land, people, and property from flooding.

BASTION OF HORSE-POWERED AGRICULTURE

Owen Ambrose, Cole’s son, shepherded the Stuntney Estate through the great depression and WWII. As other farmers turned to mechanised agriculture – tractors, trucks and combine harvesters were revolutionising farming – Owen held fast to his father’s principles, maintaining large herds of shire horses.

By the time of his death in 1967, when tractors were ubiquitous on larger farms, there were still 100 horses working on the Stuntney Estate.

Historical photograph of farmers on a barge

A lovely green field with a river in the background

FLOURISH & EVOLVE

The Ben's Yard story continues to flourish and evolve, as our family grows and we begin the new chapter of our story. We are thrilled to announce that we now have over 50 talented and passionate staff members joining the Ben’s Yard team. Their expertise and dedication are instrumental in creating exceptional experiences for our valued guests. Together, we are excited to embark on this journey of growth and continue our commitment to providing outstanding service and memorable moments at Ben's Yard.

RESTORE & PROTECT

In 1995, Anthony and his wife Alison began the renovations of The Old Hall, an abandoned Jacobean manor house on the estate. They transformed it into a celebrated wedding venue with restaurant and luxury bed and breakfast that continues today.

Alastair Morbey, Anthony’s son, took over the 2,500-acre Stuntney Estate after his father’s death in 2017. His goal today is to nurture diversity on the estate, in order to protect its beauty and heritage for generations to come.