Beckett's farm, like Brownwood_Farm, succeeded in avoiding being swept up by the Gurneys or by the Blickling Estate. However, little or nothing is known of its earlier history though it still has some fine 17th or 18th century barns.

The first known about it is the Garwood family ownership. The Garwoods must have bought it some time between 1812 and 1829. They remained until the death of Frances Garwood in 1869.

In 1785 Thomas Mott had bought the Barningham Estate from the Pastons. He and his successors extended the estate to Baconsthorpe Hall, more latterly known as Baconsthorpe Castle. The Mott of the day seemingly bought Becketts Farm from Frances Garwood's executors because in 1881 T. H. Mott took down and completely rebuilt the farmhouse which was then called "Hempstead House'' and is referred to as such in various successive O.S. maps.

For many years thereafter the tenant was a Mr Joseph Beckett and in due course of time it became known as "Becketts Farm.''

For two or more centuries the Seaman family had farmed as tenants of the Blickling Estate at Pit Farm, Baconsthorpe - the original home of the Britiffes. Indeed a Mr John Seaman is shown as a tenant of glebe land in the Hempstead 1841 Tithe Map. Like many other farming families trying to make a living in the Great Depression they were encouraged by landlords such as the Barningham Estate to move (by rent-free periods and similar inducements). Mr John Seaman, born in 1918, can remember his father moving out of Pit Farm in 1936 on the death of his grandfather to take on the tenancy of Becketts Farm. At that time Mr John Seaman and his father employed 17 men and boys at Becketts Farm - and had only one tractor.

In 1945 Major Charles Mott-Radcliffe M.P., the grandson of T. H. Mott, had succeeded in buying the Manor Farm at Baconsthorpe (from Mr George Knight following the sale of the Gurney estate) which was surrounded by Barningham Estate land. Becketts Farm was, however, well out on a limb. ln the sixties Major Mott-Radcliffe offered to sell it to the tenant, by then Mr John Seaman. Mr John Seaman was happy to buy but on condition that he too could round off his acreage by buying part of Hall Farm, Baconsthorpe. This was agreed and the Seaman family became owners of a block of 436 acres - half in Hempstead and half in Baconsthorpe.

During the 1939-45 war Mr John Seaman was away at the war and anyway would not have been tempted to buy the neighbouring Red House Farm or any of the Gurney estate when it sold in 1945 - not least because he and his father had only too clear a recollection of the agricultural depression which had followed the 1914-18 war and had continued well into the thirties.

However, he later changed these views and over a fifty year period he and his family were able to expand from being tenant farmers on Becketts Farm's 220 acres to owning more than 2000 acres in several parishes - at one stage owning the largest milking herd in Norfolk, 480 cows kept at Great Farm, Saxthorpe. Mr John Seaman has now retired from the active farming, which is carried on by his son Mr Peter Seaman, but still lives at Becketts Farm and enjoys the seat on the lane between Becketts Farm and Hall Farm which he put there at the request of his late wife for her use out walking.
Hempstead, A Norfolk Village - Robin Carver, 2000

This was originally a small farm of sixteen acres. This could have been the home of Robert Miller in 1833. Charles Miller is shown as occupying sixteen acres on the 1841 Tithe Map.
Captain Mee farmed chickens there and then the Hardys lived there. [Hardys were there earlier - JJN] They had been in the horse and trap trade but had later opened a superior garage in Devonshire Street in London and became very well off. The sons went to Gresham's with the Hagens and were friends. A window in the Church commemorates Richard Hardy.
Later it was a pig farm. It was owned by Mr John Parker. It was sold to Mr Loach in 1995 who has made major improvements to the house.
Hempstead, A Norfolk Village - Robin Carver, 2000

Hempstead Hall Farm in 1728 was then in the occupation of Richard Mickleburgh and extended ta 370 acres including ''Mill Farm (1)'' which comprised the fields around the medieval Mill, but by now defunct, which was later called “Smokers_Hole”. (This is not to be confused with the “Mill Farm (2)'' sold by George Knight’s executors in 1964). There is shown a house, on the position of the present day ruins, which must have been the miller's house plus a barn and another large building which could have been another barn, or the original mill or three cottages.
Hempstead, A Norfolk Village - Robin Carver, 2000

This was once a small independant farm. Mr John Hagen (Mr J. A. Hagen's grandfather) was tenant in 1912. Mr Daniel William Hagen then took the teancy. But it was Mr Fowle who worked for Mr Hagen, later becoming head cowman for the prize Friesians at Green_Farm, who later lived there. In the 1970s Mr Gibbs occupied the farm where he ran a market garden - a business which did not prosper.
This farm was later acquired by the Youngs family of Pitt Farm, Baconsthorpe. Mr David Youngs now lives there.
Hempstead, A Norfolk Village - Robin Carver, 2000

Census 1851: