The Carter Family have been farming at Eastwick Lodge since 1933 when H.E. Carter (Edward and James' father) took the tenancy on the farm which was then mixed arable and dairy.

In 1960 the A414 was straightened and the village of Eastwick bypassed. This triggered the closure of the village shop in Eastwick and the consequential start of the retailing activities at Eastwick Lodge, selling farm produce - apples, eggs, potatoes etc. Soon development in Harlow and increasing traffic levels on the A414 forced the business to cease dairy production, due to the problem of the dairy herd having to cross the road to the river meadows twice daily. During the 1960s the farm shop sales increased and product lines including soft fruits developed.

During the 1970s and 80s the Farm Shop branched out into new lines including pet and animal feed made from crops grown on the farm. In the mid 1980s home grown produce such as soft fruits were phased out due to strong competition from three new large supermarkets.

In the 1990s home grown bedding plants and dried flower enterprises were developed. This set the base for the long-term plan which is to create a new, much larger, garden centre and develop complementary leisure activities including a coffee shop and restaurant, a golf driving range and a family playbarn. The plan also includes the re-instatement of a village shop for local residents (for locally grown produce as well as delicatessen type groceries) and a monthly Farmers Market.

The last fifty years have seen great changes at Eastwick Lodge - over the next few years the businesses at Eastwick Lodge will continue to expand and develop, offering customers a wider range of goods and services as well as exciting leisure activities. We will keep you updated through this web site.