COUNTESS Mountbatten and her family have been forced to wind up their 500-year-old farming business in Kent in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis and other agriculture industry problems.

The Knatchbull family – which includes the Countess, her husband, Lord Barbourne, son Michael-John Knatchbull and his wife, Penny - called a staff meeting at Smeeth Village Hall, near Ashford, this week to make the announcement.

They admitted it was one of the saddest and most traumatic decisions of their long and distinguished family history.

For more than 500 years they have successfully farmed the parishes of Mersham, Brabourne, Smeeth, Hinxhill and Brook.

But after months of expert advice, they have accepted that they had no option but to cease farming the massive estate.

Addressing the labour force of 19, many of who had worked for the family for 20 or 30 years, Michael-John Knatchbull explained the problems of recent years.

He cited the enormous drop in prices paid to farmers over some years, the foot and mouth problems and poor weather as elements leading to unsustainable trading losses for many farmers including them.

He said: "It also leads to a very gloomy prognosis for agriculture in the future. This is the result of legislation, the global markets, the Green Pound and a Government who don't care about farmers and the countryside in general."

"I know it will be a huge shock but it is with deep regret that I am telling you we have decided the only option is to close down the farm business which includes the two dairy units and the arable enterprise.

"The sad reality is that redundancies are likely. This has been the most difficult thing I have ever had to do and is the main cause of our deep regret of all our my at having to make this decision."

Tenants are being invited to take over more than 2,000-acres including two dairy farms with 450 milking cows, and the arable enterprise that could be split into two or three units.

Said Mr Knatchbull: "My parents, my wife and I have been closely involved in reaching the decision. The one thing we have always been sure about is that we want to try and keep the estate intact."

They will retain almost 1,000 acres of woodland that is regarded as one of the best game shoots in East Kent, and the deer park and land around Mersham-le-Hatch house that has been home to the Caldicott Community for more than half a century although they are scheduled to move to a new site in September.

Speaking to local newspaper, the Kentish Express, Lord Brabourne said: "My family has farmed here since 1485 but the business has been going downhill for some time and it was a sad but prudent decision.

"It is inevitable that rumours and wrong assumptions will be made and we wanted to explain the correct facts. We are not selling up the estate that is so dear to us all.

"The news is a shock to us all and we are deeply concerned for all our employees, and we share our son and daughter-in-law’s distress and deep regret at the sad steps we have had to take."

The various farm enterprises will continue to run until October and there is hope that tenants might take over the stock and some of the staff.

Like his father Michael-John is an established film director and in the future he expects to expand his media interests that includes making films for both the cinema and television.