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Close Farm was owned by Col E F Morrison Bell in 1941. He estimated that the rental value of the farm was £300 per annum, and had held the farm of 20 years. The farm is located midway between Tetbury and Doughton on the Bath Road.
On a farm survey carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture on 17 May 1942 it was described as follows:
"With no farm house, two cottages, one of which was let on service tenancy. There were farm buildings, a well and stream and ponds which supplied water. Problems were caused by moles, insects, dandylions and buttercups. It was reported to be a good mixed farm, but labour was seasonally short. At the time of the report there was none listed. Machinery was adequate except for a tractor which was on order. 'Motive power' was one oil/petrol engine of 2½ horsepower. There was a converted Ford lorry, and a wheel tractor for field work. A strip of clay land crossed the farm, this land lies wet, but there was no serious flooding. There was no rough grazing land. The following grass fields had been ploughed up (OS field no's) 700, 706, 740, 703, 736.
In 1941 they grew the following crops and had the livestock as listed:
14 acres wheat
7½ acres barley
10 acres oats
3½ acres main crop potatoes
1½ acres kale for fodder
50 acres grass for mowing
49½ acres for grazing
They had the following livestock:
CATTLE
8 cows
1 cow in calf
13 heifers in calf
1 bull
2 x 2 years+ male cattle for service
22 x 2 years+ female cattle for service
2 x 1 year+ male cattle
3 x 1 year+ female cattle
11 x under 1 year for rearing
TOTAL 63
PIGS
3 sows
2 x 2-5 months old
TOTAL 5
HORSES
2 x mares
2 x others
TOTAL 4
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