Foxwood School can justly claim to be amongst the pioneers in establishing a residential centre for outdoor education.

In 1965 the Parent Teachers Association, after some prompting from teacher Mike Barrand, had purchased a farm house in the small village of Horton in Ribblesdale, in the Yorkshire Dales some fifty miles from the school.

The Local Education Committee realising the educational potential of such an acquisition had granted Foxwood permission for the farm to be used during school time. Soon groups of upto twenty boys with two members of staff were able to take up residence for periods of upto five days at the newly named “Foxwood Farm”.

During 1967 the newly appointed Headmaster, Bob Spooner, made a visit to the farm and was appalled at what he found. The Farm building consisted of a Living room, with a primitive kitchen with a small sink, together with another downstairs room. A single bathroom with a bath, wash bowl together with a toilet and three bedrooms. Above them a disused attic with a rotten floor. The whole building was riddled with woodworm. Repairs and alterations were soon put in place by members of staff and 6th Formers.

Foxwood Farm continued successfully for over five years until the school became co-educational. At this time the farm was unsuitable for the accommodation of mixed groups and the school realised that a larger building could be more beneficial and provide even greater potential.

By coincidence a large residential Inn, The Golden Lion, was advertised for sale along with furniture and fittings. The building was only a mile from Foxwood Farm and Bob Spooner had soon persuaded the School Parent Teachers Association to agree to its purchase. The Golden Lion was purchased for £7,850 in 1970.

The Golden Lion was sold in 1988 and the Farm modernised with some of the proceeds. The Farm was donated to an independent charity, the Friends of Foxwood Farm, in 1996 when the school, by then known as East Leeds High School, closed.

The aim of the Friends of Foxwood Farm remained broadly the same as that of the school - to offer the opportunity to young people in east Leeds, through local schools and other youth groups, to experience the social and educational benefits of a residential stay in an area which is in contrast to the environment in which they live. To fund its work the charity hired the Farm to outside groups throughout the year.

Foxwood Farm was sold at auction by Dacre, Son & Hartley and took place at 3pm on Wednesday 25th May 2011 at the Falcon Manor Hotel, Settle. It Sold for £240,000 and a further £10,000 for land at The Croft at Foxwood Farm.

Click to see Sale Details