Our Yorkshire Farm’s Amanda Owen breaks down after uncovering heartbreaking family truth

A previous episode of the Channel 4 show saw Amanda Owen and her daughter Clemmie discover a heartbreaking diary entry about former homeowner’s family loss

As tonight’s repeat of Our Farm Next Door graces TV screens once more, audiences are transported back to the touching moment when Amanda Owen was visibly emotional after discovering a heart-wrenching piece of the property’s past with her youngest daughter, Clemmie.

Tonight’s return of Our Farm Next Door offers fresh insights into their new dwelling’s rich heritage and the extensive restoration work needed to bring it back to life. During a previous instalment, mother and daughter explored the fascinating backstory of Anty John’s while tackling the mammoth task of renovating the dilapidated farmhouse.

This programme elevated things beyond their initial series, Our Yorkshire Farm, chronicling the restoration of their ancient, crumbling farmhouse. The property sits adjacent to their beloved Ravenseat Farm in the Yorkshire Dales, with ongoing efforts to transform it into a contemporary family home.

Amanda’s collaborator and historian, Derek, discovered a diary from Anty John’s former resident, and while poring over its entries, they made a devastating discovery. The team learned that the diary belonged to Anthony Clarkson, who had returned to the farmhouse after his father’s passing.

Derek explained to Clemmie: “Anthony Clarkson, whom you know all about. He used to stay with his brothers in some of the cottages here in Stonesdale. You’re a family of nine children, aren’t you? He was a family of nine as well.”

Derek then revealed Anthony Clarkson’s genuine diary, with Amanda noting: “That’s the first time Clem has actually seen the original. It’s been a long time getting to this place. I feel like the connection now will be even stronger.”

The historian went on: “The very end part of his diary, he regularly used to stay with his brothers, and then he would walk across the top to Anty John’s. What we’re hoping to do is to actually retrace some of that part of the route.

“Let’s see if we can paint a better picture of what was actually going on at the time. When his father died here in 1818, things changed,” Derek explained about Anthony Clarkson, as Amanda added: “That brought him back, didn’t it?” Anthony went on to say, “That brought him back, and he spent a lot of time here.

“Can you imagine that?” Amanda queried before continuing: “He’s away from his school teaching, and he finds out his dad has died.”

Although sections of Anthony’s diary proved challenging to read, Derek succeeded in interpreting several passages with the aid of a magnifying glass.

Passing it to Amanda, she recited: “So, Friday, the sixth of February, I went up and met my nephew, John. He came with the melancholy news of my father’s death. He died this morning, about seven o’clock.”

Considering the passage, the mother of nine observed: “So it obviously wasn’t expected. It was a big surprise, a shock.”

She then mused: “Oh, so all of a sudden he has to come back and start making decisions about what’s going to happen to his father’s legacy, basically, what’s going to happen to the farm.

“So it all began with a bit of a tragedy. His dad dying. He comes back, and Anthony has got what we call Anty John’s.”