Westcountry Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents Stags had a packed auction room at Taunton Racecourse.

The property offered was Manor Farm, Norton Fitzwarren situated to the north west of Taunton. The farm consisted of a modern farmhouse constructed about 40 years ago, with an agricultural tie, set in an elevated position away from the extensive range of buildings which provide for corn and potato storage and the winter housing of livestock together with 162 acres of productive land being a mixture of adaptable arable land and some grassland. The bidding opened at £1,000,000 and rose steadily, with a number of bidders coming in and dropping out, to £1,920,000 when the hammer fell. Auctioneer Michael Powell commented that the fact the farm was purchased by a local farmer with the under bidder also being from within the locality, was strong evidence of the reputation of the land and farms in the Vale of Taunton Deane.

There is a scarcity of farms coming onto the market in the Vale with very few having come onto the market in the last 10 years, which in his opinion results in premium prices being paid for farms in the Vale. Michael Powell commented that in these somewhat difficult times, the auction system still provides a successful way of selling property with the buyer being committed at the fall of the hammer and the sale generally completing a month after the auction date.