A Southdown Farm in the 1860’s

A Charming Memoir of a Rural Childhood in the 1860s

Explore the pastoral charm of rural 19th century England with "A Southdown Farm in the 1860’s" by Maude Robinson. Born in 1859 at Saddlescombe on a 900-acre farm owned by father, Martin Robinson, Maude wrote an account of her idyllic childhood that appeared in Sussex County Magazine in 1935.

A South Down Farm in the Sixties was issued by J.M. Dent in 1938. The book offers unique insights into agricultural practices of the time and the reality of home life on a secluded farm of that era. In 1872 Maude Robinson went to a private boarding school at Lewes. Maude's experiences at a private boarding school in Lewes in 1872 with Spartan routines but kind mistresses shaped her education. One by one the older Robinson children moved away from Saddlescombe until, after the death of her parents, only Ernest, who ran the farm, and Maude remained. Both of them loved the downland and took an interest in its wildlife.

Immerse yourself in this tale of rural life and agricultural tradition with this fascinating historical account of a childhood in a charming 19th century farm.

The author, Maude Robinson, was a Quaker and also wrote several short stories, many of them describing the experiences and traditions of Quakers based on first-hand accounts.