Farnell Farm is on the edge of the High Weald, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where the High Weald rises out of the Romney Marshes. It is a small arable farm of one hundred and eighty acres, ninety-three acres planted with cereals and beans, seventy five acres of woodland, five acres of Kentish cobnut trees, seven acres of pasture and six ponds.
Farnell was originally spelt Farnehille in 1440, meaning fern hill, because of the ferns that still grow there. In the woods are the remains of ancient tracks, field boundaries and the early iron workings, and what is left of an old hammer dam pond. There are interesting field boundaries made of banks of clay, used to define parish and district boundaries in ancient times.
The woodlands consist of mainly sweet chestnut, oak, hazel ,birch and hornbeam borders with a few wild service trees. Bluebells, wild orchids and wild garlic carpet the woodlands in the early spring. Some of the chestnut woods have been coppiced for over four hundred years. There are fungi of all descriptions in late summer and autumn. The woods are designated ancient woodland and formed part of the ancient forest of Andresweald. There is an area of lowland heath with heather and broom .The whole farm is rich in wildlife. There are badger sets, slowworms, grass snakes and a great variety of birds. The ponds and springs attract many species of dragonfly, damselfly and aquatic life. We have planted and restored hedgerows, cleared ponds and created field borders to encourage wild flowers and wild life.