Todenham Manor Farm Shop & Butchery

15 April 2025 Case Study

Todenham Manor Farm – where it all began and how it’s become what it is today:

Todenham Manor Farm is a 900-acre family-run farm in the heart of the Cotswolds, close to the Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire borders. The land was once owned by Westminster Abbey and has been producing and providing food for the local community for generations. Today, under the care of Becky and Alistair it is home to an array of livestock, a butchery and an award-winning farm shop.

The farm has evolved over the past 20 years to what can be seen today. Originally, it was brought as a family home and weekend retreat but is now a thriving, working farm with a substantial herd of 400 cattle, including Aberdeen Angus and South Devon breeds, and a large flock of lawn mowers, approximately 600 sheep (growing during lambing season), and some Gloucester Old Spot Pigs.

Now offering accommodation and having recently opened the farm-to-fork dining experience, Herd, there’s so much on offer at this gorgeously rural Gloucestershire location.

The business ethos:

The family behind Todenham Manor Farm believes in farming for the future and understand that exceptional meat can only come from a thriving and sustainable ecosystem. Happy animals need healthy land to live and graze on. That’s why they’ve introduced initiatives to encourage natural flora and fauna, such as building ponds and wildlife-friendly areas - making the farmland more productive than ever.

They also understand the importance of raising each animal with time and respect. All the animals on the farm are lovingly cared for, and the team believes that it really does result in superior meat. It’s thought that a stressed animal produces tougher meat - most of the meat sold at the award-winning farm shop has travelled a matter of a few miles from being born and raised on the farm, to being butchered in their in-house butchery. Any meat they must source from outside the farm is selected from a handful of trusted suppliers that they have worked alongside and built up a personal relationship with.

What makes Todenham Manor Farm unique:

The business is a family-run farm with their own butchery, farm shop and eatery. They have a small team who are all local, all love their animals, and pride themselves on the way that they care for them, which shows. Alastair Baird, Business Owner, admits that he has a perfectionist streak and makes sure the farm is always immaculate so that it is a lovely place to live and work.

The business operates on a unique model of supplying wholesale meat as well as selling direct to consumers via their shop and serving their cooked meat via Herd, their recently opened eatery.

With their very own dry-aged chiller, all the Todenham Manor Farm beef is hung for a minimum of 28 days, which may contribute it being multi-award winning. The business has a whole host of Great Taste Awards for their meat – too many to mention!

Why Gloucestershire?

The owner, Alastair Baird and Becky Falkingham, love the beautiful countryside that surrounds them as well as the people, and it has a lovely balance of beautiful small towns and villages with open spaces. Not to mention that it is easily accessible from London where the owners originally lived, and still visit regularly.

Where possible, Todenham Manor Farm likes to source from local suppliers; some favourites to highlight are Pink Salt, an award-winning pesto manufacturer, and Salt Pig, which creates the finest cured meats and salami, both based in Chipping Norton.

The Head Chef behind the recently opened Herd is Christopher Ellis, a local culinary talent who is passionate about showcasing the best produce and is excited to create a unique farm-to-table dining experience in his own community.

Exciting expansions:

Herd at Todenham Manor Farm opened on December 1st, 2024, and offers a unique dining experience. Tucked into a rustic tent environment, the atmosphere is infused with a cosy charm. Featuring an elevated menu crafted by award-winning chef Christopher Ellis, Herd emphasises locally sourced seasonal ingredients from around the Cotswolds. The eatery serves an elevated breakfast and lunch menu, proudly utilising meat reared and butchered on the farm, all while providing a relaxed atmosphere with options to dine by the open fire or enjoy scenic views.

Quick-fire foodie questions with Becky Falkingham - Owner