The Manor Farm is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and a reference shows that in 1086 the Southrop Estate was held by Walter FitzPonz and details are given of the men and oxen working the farm at that time.
Over the centuries the estate had many owners, and there would no doubt have been a dwelling known as the Manor Farmhouse. The present house dates back to the 17th century with later additions.
Records from 1613 to 1926 give details of leaseholders of the farm house, because in 1613 ownership of the estate was given as an endowment to Wadham College, Oxford by Dorothy Wadham.
In the first 40 years of the 19th century the estate was leased by the Hicks Beach family, and Manor Farm became one of three separate farms. It is not clear from early census data which dwelling was Manor Farm; but in the 1851 census a Henry Smith, born in Scotland, was listed as 'farm bailiff' and was living in the dwelling immediately before the 'Vicarage House' listing, probably Manor Farm.
In the 1861 census Charles Bird was lodging in Southrop with a Mr. and Mrs. Green and was a farm bailiff. The occupant of Manor Farm is not clear, but there is a reference to a 'Farm House' (listed between property no.7 occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hinton and property no.8 occupied by the Vicar, Joseph Walker) which is listed as 'uninhabited', so it is possible that that was Manor Farmhouse.
By the time of the 1871 census Charles Edward Bird (occupation 'farm bailiff') and his wife Ann are shown as living at the second dwelling listed in the village, with the first being 'Vicarage' and the third 'Manor House'. Presumably then this second dwelling is Manor Farm. Ann is shown as being born in Southrop and George in Stourport. Living with them were their children: Sarah Martin aged 8, Charles Edward aged 7, Frances H. aged 4, Ann Mary aged 2 and Louisa aged 4 months. Mary Jane Hill, occupation 'national school mistress' is recorded as boarding with the family.
The 1881 census shows a Mr. and Mrs. George Bird living at the 'Farm House' with Sarah (18), George (17) and Louisa (10). George senior and George junior are both 'farm bailiffs'. Their boarder is now Lucy Higgins, 'national school mistress'. By 1901 the Bird family had moved to farm in Signet.
In 1894 Thomas Arkell (Thomas Arkell was Bridget Hinton’s grandfather’s eldest brother - see Elm Tree Cottage etc. for other references to Bridget Hinton), held Manor Farm on a lease from Wadham College, and in 1895 he brought Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards from Yanworth to live at Manor Farm. It is recorded that sixty pounds of butter were made each week in the dairy there. The Arkell family and the farm workers bought what they needed and the rest was sold to Mr. Stroud of the County Stores in Lechlade.
The 1901 census shows John Edwards (occupation 'farm bailiff, disabled') and his wife Sarah (occupation 'dairy woman - farm worker') living at the ‘Farm
House’. Living with them were their son George aged 16, occupation 'gardener (domestic)', and Mary Miles aged 12 years, a 'visitor'. Mary was possibly a relative of Sarah as they were both shown as being born in Charlton, Berkshire.
In the census of 1911 Mr. Edwards, now aged 69, does not have an occupation and his wife (aged 67) is described as 'dairy manageress'. Living with them are their daughter Mary (aged 40) listed as 'visitor' and their granddaughter Lily, aged 15 (listed as 'help domestic'). The census return shows that Mr. and Mrs. Edwards had been married for 47 years and had ten children with eight still living.
In 1925 Lillian Edwards married Mr. Edgar Hackling. Mrs. Hackling lived for most of her life in Southrop and celebrated her 100th Birthday in the Village Hall.
In 1926 the entire Southrop Estate was sold by Wadham College, and the majority purchased by the Jones family who became the new owners of Manor Farm. They offered the tenancy of Manor Farm to Robert Hinton, and in 1927 Robert and Mary (Mollie) Hinton and their sons Robert (Bob), William (Bill), Walter, Gerald, Leslie and Stanley moved to the farmhouse. At the 1926 sale Robert Hinton had bought The Close, Elm Tree and Ivy Cottage from Wadham College.
In the Hinton family photograph Robert and Walter are wearing their army uniforms. Robert (Bob) joined the Royal Tank Regiment just before the War, serving in North Africa and retiring from the army as a Major. After the War he returned to Southrop to run the Hinton’s corn business office. Walter had volunteered for army service but was invalided out during the War and joined his father in the corn business, originally begun at Cote Mill in Eastleach. He married Veronica Thornton and lived at Ivy Cottage (renamed Southrop Farm when the original Southrop Farmhouse was demolished after the War). Leslie was able to complete his medical training during the war and served in Korea in the Army Medical Corps before becoming a GP in London.
Stanley, who was born in 1926 in Ivy Cottage (now Southrop Farm), volunteered towards the end of the War and joined the 3rd Hussars, part of the Royal Army Corp. By the time his tank training had been completed the Armistice had been declared and his unit was posted to Palestine via Egypt in a peace keeping role. After being demobbed he returned to Southrop, initially to assist in the family corn business and then to work with his brother Bob on the Hinton farms. Gerald took the tenancy of a farm near Minety.
William Hinton married Helen and they had two sons, Michael and Richard.
In 1960 Mr. Richard and Mrs. Jane Robinson occupied Manor Farm. They were followed by Mr & Mrs Smythe.
For about 6 months in the early 1980s a Mr. and Mrs. Head with their seven children were the occupants of Manor Farm. Mr. Head made substantial changes to the building including enlarging the Dairy and adding an upper floor. The well was found during these alterations, and five dormer windows were added, (see below). Following these changes the building was de-listed.
In 1985 Mr. Joe and Mrs. Ann Walker moved into Manor Farm. They lived there until 2011 when it was bought by the Southrop Manor Estate and is now used as an adjunct to the Thyme Cookery School.