Greenmoor Farm St Brides
Dairy Farm on the wentloog level
Greenmoor Farm in St Brides, Wentlooge, was home to generations of our Phillips family for over 160 years – the longest tenure of any of our Monmouthshire ancestors. Our great-grandfather, J.R. Phillips, was born there in 1860, and his father and grandfather had both worked the land. Once spanning 120 acres, Greenmoor was a significant farm on the Wentloog Level, a landscape shaped by agriculture for centuries.
It wasn’t until 2023 that we uncovered our family’s deep-rooted connection to Greenmoor, and since then, we have tried to learn as much as possible about the farm and its history. Despite our research, we have yet to find a photograph of Greenmoor as a working farm or any records predating 1810. If any of our visitors have information or images to share, we would be incredibly grateful!
The Wentlooge Level
The Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels are two low-lying wetland areas flanking the River Usk estuary near Newport. Together, they are known as the Monmouthshire Levels or Gwent Levels. Reclaimed from the Severn Estuary multiple times since the Roman era, the landscape is characterised by an intricate network of drainage channels, locally known as ‘reens’.
Recognised for their ecological and historical significance, parts of the Levels have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and are registered as a Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales. The Wentlooge Level, situated to the southwest between the River Usk and the Rhymney River, covers approximately 8,500 acres and includes the villages of Peterstone and St Brides.
The Phillips Family at St Brides
Phillip Phillips was the first of the family to settle at Greenmoor. Born in Llanover in 1775 into a successful family, he married Ann Williams in 1807. The couple had four children while living in Llanover – Mary, Phillip (our 2nd great-grandfather), John, and Thomas. Seeking new opportunities, they decided to relocate to St Brides, where Mary had been born and had a strong family network. Phillip’s success in Llanover enabled him to purchase the freehold of Greenmoor Farm, a large dairy farm on salt marshes situated near the heart of the village.
The family moved to St Brides around 1817, and as the farm grew, so did their family. Two more children, Jane (1820) and Mary (1822), were born, bringing the household to eight. By the time of the first national census in 1841, the family was firmly established at Greenmoor. By then, eldest daughter Mary had married and left home, but the other five children remained at the farm. Phillip, now 28, was working full-time on the farm and preparing to take over operations from his father.
By then, eldest daughter Mary had married and left home, but the other five children remained at the farm. Phillip, now 28, was working full-time on the farm and preparing to take over operations from his father. Their hard work was paying off, and Greenmoor was thriving as a key part of the local farming community. A decade later, the 1851 census recorded Phillip Sr. as a widower in his 70s, still working daily on the 90-acre farm. His son Phillip, now 38, continued to run the farm with him.
Only Jane remained at Greenmoor from among Phillip’s siblings; now married to Baptist minister David Evans, she lived at the farm with her husband and their three children and two staff members. David was a renowned Baptist Minister, and the Dictionary of Welsh biography describes how he “…married a young woman from Monmouthshire, who was possessed of some private means, and moved to minister in that place; there also he succeeded in clearing the chapel debt.”
New generations at Greenmoor
In 1852, Phillip married Mary Richards of Llanedeyrn, a village east of Cardiff. Mary, moved to St Brides after the wedding, joining her husband and father-in-law at Greenmoor. Phillip and Mary went on to have eight children: Phillip (1853), Anne (1855), Thomas (1858), John (1860, our great-grandfather), William (1861), David (1863), Mary (1865), and Rees (1867).
During the 1860s and 1870s, Greenmoor became known for its high-quality pork, regularly advertised in Newport butcher shops. Over 160 years later, the Phillips family would be proud to know that rare pork breeds are still sold from Greenmoor Farm. By 1871, Greenmoor spanned 95 acres, and Phillip and Mary were raising all eight of their children on the farm. Their eldest son, Phillip, was working full-time, preparing to take over the family business. Valuing education, Phillip and Mary ensured that all their children received excellent schooling at the local board school.
Greenmoor Expands
During the 1870s, Phillip expanded Greenmoor’s success by purchasing an additional 25 acres, bringing the total landholding to 120 acres – 100 of which were salt marsh. The farmhouse was recorded as having 11 bedrooms. In 1881, Phillip, now 69, and Mary, 56, were still at the farm with six of their children. Phillip’s brother Thomas had retired and moved in with them, and they also employed one person.
Phillip passed away at Greenmoor on September 4th 1884, leaving behind a substantial estate. His sons stepped in to support their mother and eldest brother, Phillip, as he prepared to take full control of the farm. Mary remained at Greenmoor for another 15 years until her passing in September 1899 at the age of 74. By the 1891 census, Phillip was managing Greenmoor alongside his widowed mother and three younger brothers. Also living at the farm were his niece May Morgan and a domestic employee.
At the turn of the 20th century, Greenmoor Farm was a thriving dairy operation producng high quality milk, butter and cheese. The rich grasslands of the Gwent Levels provided ideal conditions for milk production, and surplus stock was ideal for cheese making. As a landowner, Phillip Phillips was one of the few local residents eligible to vote. The 1901 Kelly’s Directory listed him as one of the three principal landowners in the area, alongside Lord Tredegar and Charles Theodore Halswell Kemeys-Tynte Esq.
A Dairy School at Greenmoor
Recognising the need to improve dairy production, Monmouthshire County Council’s Department of Agriculture introduced cheese and butter-making courses across the county, with one established at Greenmoor Farm. Tuition was free, but the girls attending were required to contribute toward their board and lodging. These small classes were designed for the daughters of farmers from Rumney, St Mellons, and other rural areas between Cardiff and Newport.
The courses were a resounding success -cheese-making standards improved, and the average price of Caerphilly cheese increased. In addition to Caerphilly, the students learned to produce Wensleydale and soft cheeses such as Gervais Cream and Cambridge. However, with the outbreak of World War I, many agricultural labourers enlisted or were conscripted, forcing farmers’ wives and daughters to scale back or abandon their cheese and butter-making activities. This led to the end of the dairy school at Greenmoor.
The Last Phillip Phillips
By the 1911 census, Greenmoor’s household consisted of Phillip and Elizabeth Phillips, their 14-year-old nephew George Morgan from Bishton – who combined part-time farm work with school – and a domestic worker. Philip and Elizabeth continued to enter local agricultural shows with success for dairy and poultry. Elizabeth passed away on December 3rd 1923, at the age of 58, leaving her estate to her husband. As the couple had no children, there was no Philip Phillips to continue farming Greenmoor.
By the 1930s, with Phillip nearing retirement, his brother Rees, along with his wife Winnie and their children Mary and Brind, returned to Greenmoor. Philip also retired from the St Mellons Rural Council after 30 years service. He continued to work well into his 70s and passed away on August 25, 1934, at the age of 80, having spent his entire life at the farm. He was laid to rest beside Elizabeth at St Bridget’s Church in St Brides.
Following his death, Brind Phillips became the fourth generation of the family to run Greenmoor. The 1939 Register recorded Brind as a dairy farmer and head of the household, living at Greenmoor with his sister Mary. Rees, now retired, remained at the farm with Winnie and their daughter Mary.
Rees passed away at Greenmoor in August 1945 and was buried at St Brides Church, followed by Winnie in 1951, who was laid to rest beside him. Brind continued working on the farm until his retirement, after which he moved to Newport.
End of an era
In 1961 with Brind retired he decided to sell off most of their land. An auction was held on Wednesday, December 6th, at the Auction Mart, Stow Hill, Newport. Lot 1 included 74 acres of rich feeding pasture with vacant possession. Lot 2 consisted of two acres of land outside Outfall House, which was leased to Mr Sully at the time. Following the sale, the Phillips family continued operating a smaller dairy business from Greenmoor, where Mary Phillips remained until 1980.
After 163 years at Greenmoor Farm, it was finally time for the Phillips family to sell the property. The sale took place at St Mellons Country Club on October 23rd, 1980, on behalf of Mr. Brind Phillips. The sale included a detached farmhouse, barn, and cowshed – each in need of renovation – along with 3.3 acres of orchard and pastureland. A local businessman purchased the property for £42,000. The Argus noted that securing such a price for a property without drainage reflected the high demand for country homes with land.
A Nursery at Greenmoor
The last Phillips to live at Greenmoor was Mary Phillips, who passed away in hospital on January 21st, 1983. She was laid to rest at St Brides Church. In the years that followed, Greenmoor took on a new life as Greenmoor Nurseries, a well-loved family business founded by Will and Shirley Thomas that has grown substantially over the years. The farmhouse has also been transformed into a comfortable family home. During our research for the website, we spoke with Phil Thomas from the nurseries, who shared his memories of Mary Phillips and her son Brind.
In 1999, Phil set out to replace an unfinished house on the farm with a new two-story dwelling. The original house had been started by the Phillips family in 1962 but was never completed. His plans required a visit from the council’s planning committee. In 2002, the owners of Greenmoor discovered an old cheese press and issued a public appeal for information about cheesemaking on the Wentloog Levels.
Greenmoor Today
As of 2025, the Thomas family continues to run a successful nursery from Greenmoor and long may it last. It is nice to see the former Phillips family farm still thriving as a family home and successful business, and having the option of popping it to pick up some plants for the garden is of course a bonus! You can follow Greenmoor Nursery on Facebook by clicking here.
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