A map of 1728 lists Green Farm with its original name of Manor Farm.

A developed farmyard is shown to the east of the farmhouse on the 1841 tithe map and this included the late 18th/early 19th century crop storage barn with a small lean-to cattle shed projecting from the eastern wall and further cattle shelters or cart-sheds to the west. The crop storage barn formed the northern extent of a range of earlier buildings the earliest of which was an early 18th century threshing barn.
S. Howard (NLA) - 29th March 2010

At the NRO (NRS 13477 28 B5) there is an abstract of title to “an Estate at Hempstead'' late belonging to Richard Gurney Esq. It was presumably prepared after the death of Richard Joseph Gurney in 1811. It is marked “No 3'' and seemingly shows title to what is now Green Farm. Presumably the abstracts numbered 1 and 2 related to the Red House Farm and the rest of the Gurneys' Hempstead Estate.

Abstracts can be difficult to understand because they seemingly record no more than a series of mortgages and remortgages. They do, however repeat the recitals in earlier deeds referred to. Though the abstract may have led to confusion the history contained in it, supported by two estate maps referred to below, seems to be reasonably consistent, despite the fact that there had been three successive owners called “John Wood”.

1705
The owners of Green Farm were Joseph Church and his wife Mary. They mortgaged the form to William Churchman and Robert Britiffe for £6O5, increased in 1711. Mary was a daughter of John Wood I described as “of ye City of Norwich Gent” and in another later document as “then late of Hempstead”. John Wood I had two wives, both called Elizabeth and both buried in Baconsthorpe Church - surprisingly because they were married to “John Wood of Hempstead”. John Wood had two children one of whom was his son John Wood II, the other of whom was his daughter Mart Churchman. Robert Britiffe was the same major local magnate who became father-in-law to Sir John Hobart of Blickling and who transferred the southern part of the parish to the Blickling Estate.

Some time between 1711 and 1717 John Wood I bought Green Farm from his daughter Mary and his son-in-law and shortly afterwards he died.

1717
John Wood II was now the owner and he owed money to his sister Mary and brother-in-law Joseph. By way of security he charged his lands in Hempstead naming a series of the then occupiers (tenants). The farm consisted of . . . “3 messuages, 2 barns, 1 garden, 2 orchards, 120 acres of land, 20 acres of meadow and 20 acres of pasturage''.

1728
John Wood II was proud of his farm and commissioned a map in 1728 by James Corbridge. This exists at the NR0 under ref 74 BCH. James Corbridge must have become popular in the area for in 1726 Robert Britiffe had commissioned a map of the Hunworth Estate and in the same year William Newman had commissioned his book and maps.

There were thirty-four fields or enclosures totalling 198 acres. The buildings of what is now Green Farm are clearly sketched as is the barn across the road, The area to the north (up to the Baconsthorpe Road) and to the east is shown as orchard.

In this map the Church is well sketched showing the original chancel still in place and an appreciably taller tower (which collapsed some time between 1728 and 1743). To the south of what is now Chapel Lane the village pit (now disused) is shown as “marlpit''. Several modern public footpaths are shown as “packways''. There is no sign of any mill adjoining Court Green.

1729
John Wood II married Martha “daughter of John Fountaine late of Hoddesden in the County of Herts Gent”. By his will made in April 1729 John Wood II left his estate to his son John Wood III subject to an annuity of £60 pa to his widow Martha.

In the same year John Wood II described as “Worstead Weaver'' charged the farm then “in the occupation of Daniel Abel'' to Mr Harbord Harbord of Gunton (Robert Britiffe’s grandson) to secure a £400 mortgage.

John Wood II died sometime between 1729 and 1738.

1738
John Wood III was in the saddle and paid off the Harbord mortgage so as to enable himself to make a marriage settlement on the occasion of his manage to Mary Green, the beneficiaries being himself, Mary as widow, and then his male and female issue.

1740
John Wood III was described as “Citizen and Alderman of Norwich”.

1750
John Wood III commissioned a map of his farm. Perhaps by now being an Alderman he wanted to emphasise his status and in the descriptive plaque to Thomas Hawker's map (NRO Ref 66 BCH) John Wood is apparently referred to as being of “the Manor of Hempstead”. The plan is a poor one and is now almost impossible to read. The site of the Losehall_Manor was of course subsequently re-discovered on land belonging to Green Farm near the Church.

1773
John Wood III died. By his Bill he appointed Anne his wife and Richard Joseph Gurney as his executors. From this existence of a differently named wife and the fact that John Wood III was able to dispose of his estate under his will it follows that his first wife Mary would have died childless and that he had married again. The beneficiaries of the marriage settlement having disappeared, the estate would have reverted to him. He left Anne a life-interest and otherwise left everything to his ''much esteemed friend ye aforesaid Richard Gurney of ye Parish of St Saviours in ye City of Norwich merchant''.

Seemingly all three of the John Woods were successful Norwich weavers just like John Gurney (“the weavers friend”) of Norwich who was the uncle of John Wood III's beneficiary, Richard Joseph Gurney. It seems unlikely that any of them lived at Hempstead.

In 1743, John Wood, Gent of Green Farm was then almost certainly the most influential village resident.