This year marks a major milestone for our Managing Director, Andrew Cotterill, and his family — they are celebrating 100 years of farming at Hermitage Farm in Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield.
Farming for Centuries
Farming has been in the Cotterill family for generations. Andrew’s great-grandparents moved to Hermitage Farm in 1919 after selling their former home, Bricklyn Farm, also located in Wishaw. Back then, Hermitage Farm was a much smaller operation, spanning just 33 acres and located next door to where it stands today.
Andrew’s father, Brian Cotterill, took over the management of the farm in 1969 and recalled: “My mother was only a young girl when she moved to Hermitage Farm. As it was a neighbouring farm, she didn’t have far to go, so she told me she happily wheeled all her belongings down the road in her doll’s pram. At the time, the plan was for my grandparents to retire to a smaller farm that was easier for them to manage, but sadly my grandfather died in a bull attack shortly after moving.”
Changing Landscape
A lot has changed since the Cotterill family first arrived at Hermitage Farm — two world wars, evolving agricultural practices, and a transformed economic landscape. In 1919, the farm was remote and operated as a mixed farm, breeding sheep, cows, and poultry, while also growing crops like wheat, barley, mangolds, and swedes.
Over the decades, the family continually adapted to industry demands to remain sustainable. In the 1960s, they transitioned from cows to pigs, and by the 1990s, they began breeding Welsh Cob horses.
Hermitage Farm Today
Today, Hermitage Farm remains a working mixed farm — but it has also diversified. The farm now rents out buildings to local businesses and serves as the headquarters of Cotterill Civils and Cotterill Contractors.
From this historic site, we operate our trade counter, offices, and yard, which stock large quantities of our core products, including:
- Land drainage systems
- Sewage treatment plants
- Rainwater harvesting tanks
- Underground sewer pipe
- Stormwater attenuation solutions
Reflecting on this milestone, Andrew Cotterill commented: “It’s incredible to think that Hermitage Farm has been in my family for a century — this marks our 100th harvest. It’s a massive cause for celebration and one we’ll be sharing with our friends and family in the coming weeks.”