In 1943 Beatrix Potter bequeathed High Yewdale Farm to the National Trust "believing it would preserve the style of hill farming she so loved." The Telegraph reports that Jonny Birkett who has held the tenancy of the farm for 35 years is accusing the National Trust of betraying the author's legacy with its plan to break up the farm.
"Beatrix Potter will be turning in her grave,'' he said. "I've always given the National Trust top marks for trying to save farms, but now they're just going against what they're meant to be about.A visit to the farm's website shows that although it is a working farm a bed and breakfast stay is possible.
"It's a disgrace. This is one of the best farms in the Lake District and we've looked after it as if it was our own.
"Now they've just come along and said, 'That's it'."
Mr. Birket...claims the decision has been made by "college boys who've never gathered any sheep off a fell". He added: "There was no discussion. Three fellows came in two weeks ago and just told us. They seem to have decided that the farm isn't viable because we haven't changed our Land Rover and don't buy big tractors. But what do we want with a new Land Rover if the old one works well enough? We've had such a happy life here. When I was young there was not a day too long. Now we feel we've worked for nothing.''
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