In the 18th century this site was occupied by a group of buildings, directly abutting onto the road, which were listed in 1840 as two dwelling houses and a cottage, together with a ‘beer house’ (the ‘Clothier’s Arms’) with malthouse, yard and stables. By 1854 however, when it was put up for sale, the inn had become the ‘Butcher’s Arms’, and the malthouse a butchery. This was evidently a very ancient site, as the premises were also described as ‘… the manor of Twerton, with all its fishery rights, royalties, and appurtenances’, and was a copyhold tenancy (with ‘heriot’) - presumably the last to be granted by the manorial lordship. About 1860 the whole property was acquired by Oriel College, Rectors of Twerton Church, for the site of a new church farm. Formerly the farm was situated next the old Rectory (Clyde House), but when the house and its grounds were acquired by the GWR Company in 1840, it was run temporarily from the old western farmhouse behind the church. This too ceased to be available by 1850 when the farmhouse was replaced by the present ‘Old’ Vicarage House.

The new farmhouse was built on the western half of the site (formerly occupied by most of the old dwellings) and was a fine residence set well back from the road with an ornamental garden leading down to the entrance. A monkey-puzzle tree in the garden remained a notable landmark throughout the existence of the farm. The stables and outbuildings however, on the eastern half of the site, were retained and walled off separately for the farmyard area, with a new cottage facing the road. Although ‘Church Farm’ later passed from church ownership, it continued to operate as a farm until after WWII. In 1970 it was demolished and replaced by the present building - initially a home for the aged called the ‘Hollies’, but now converted to a community learning centre. All that remains of the old buildings is the angled wall on the west side which constituted the boundary of the manorial cottages.

The cottages and farm complex of Church Farm before demolition. The western entrance to the Parade is visible on the left.