Our annual match took place on Saturday 12 September 2026 on land beside the Roman Road near Compton Valence, Dorchester. We thank Will Woodlands Trust and Mr Lewis Webster for allowing us to use this spectacular site near Eggardon Hill, a 2,500-year-old Iron Age hillfort. A strong turnout of ploughmen and hedgelayers arrived that morning and quickly began work on […] Continue Reading
The annual Melplash Agricultural Society Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match was held on Sunday 28th September 2025, on a beautiful site located at Toller Fratrum, just outside Maiden Newton, by kind permission of JH Yeates & Son and Mr Colin Hawkins. The Ploughing and Hedging competitions were widely spread across the land, but spectators were able to take advantage of a trailer […] Continue Reading
The annual Melplash Agricultural Society Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match was held on a wonderful site at Wyke Farm, Chedington, by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Appleby. The site was in a field which had self-sown a ley of clover, following the harvesting of the wheat. The clover covering to the field kept all the tractor wheels and the wellington […] Continue Reading
The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match took place at Urless Farm, on land off A356, near Corscombe, by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Oliver Hemsley. “It was a fantastic day. All classes were well supported, and the competition was keen with a good number taking part for the first time. It was so good to see […] Continue Reading
The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match took place on a sixty-acres plot of land at Higher Langdon, near Beaminster by kind permission of Mrs Tessa MacKenzie-Green and Mr Richard Peck, Sentry Farms. It has been 175 years since the first Melplash Agricultural Society’s ploughing match took place in Melplash, Beaminster. To remind us all how land was […] Continue Reading
This year’s Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Hedgelaying & Ploughing Match took place in almost perfect weather – not only good for the competitors but also for the many spectators who came along to watch this traditional rural spectacle. The Match took place at Hingsdon, near Netherbury, by kind permission of James Bowditch, Elizabeth and Louis Findlay and Messrs Symes, and […] Continue Reading
After a very hot Saturday preparing and clearing out the hedge at Wyke Farm near Chedington, we were ready for this years Taster Day organised by the Melplash Agricultural Society. A very muggy Sunday morning welcomed the participants from as far afield as Stonehenge. Due to expecting very hot weather we briefed participants and very quickly got into our work […] Continue Reading
Despite a previous night of horrendous gales and heavy rain, the Melplash Agricultural Society Ploughing match still went ahead with only two ploughmen not turning up on the day proving that even in wet weather ploughmen are still prepared and proud to demonstrate their skills! The Society’s Ploughing Chairman, Tim Frampton thanked Mr Darren Cooper and Mr Kevin Groves for […] Continue Reading
The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Hedgelaying Match took place along Camesworth Lane in Melplash, by kind permission or Mr John Warren, where there was some brilliant and consistent hazel hedges for all the 40 competitors to lay over the allocated 5 1/2 hrs. With stiff competition coming from as far afield as the Isle of Wight, Warminster, Gloucestershire, Devon and […] Continue Reading
The 171st Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual hedge laying and ploughing match took place on land near Corscombe with spectacular views over the West Dorset countryside, by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Oliver Hemsley of Urless Farm. Over 70 competitors including farmers, contractors, young farmers, vintage tractor and rural craft enthusiasts put their skills to the test in the hope […] Continue Reading