Lustleigh, From The East 1920
Photo ref: 69626
Made in Britain logo

Photo ref: 69626
Photo of Lustleigh, From The East 1920

More about this scene

We tend to think that period photographs of farming scenes portray a countryside that was an unchanging and eternal rural idyll. Yet from the late Victorian period, the fields were an arena in which fundamental changes were taking place. Brand new inventions, tools and machinery were displacing the manual labourer, and an era was nearing its end. This beautiful view shows a reaping scene with a self-binder. This device cut the oats, drew them into sheaves and tied them. Self-binders are still used today for binding wheat sheaves for thatchers – modern combines crush the stems, destroying their waterproof qualities and durability.

A Selection of Memories from Lustleigh

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Lustleigh

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

I was five when we moved to Lustleigh. The war was just beginning, and my mother grew vegetables to augment food rationing. We kept hens and goats, and made butter and cheese. The dogs, cat and guinea pigs completed the family.My father was serving in the war, and as well as him coming home on leave we enjoyed the company of airmen serving in the Royal Australian Air force. I was free to go where ever I liked, ...see more