In 1989 the people of Portsmouth made a bold move. They voted to purchase the Glen Farm barns complex and what is now the Gardner Seveney Sports Fields. Together with the 1973 purchase of previous Glen Farm land around the Glen Manor House and Glen Park area, this gave the town a remarkable piece of open space for recreation. It also gave the town a special piece of Portsmouth history to enjoy and to preserve.

What were the beginnings of Henry Augustus Colt -“H.A.C.” Taylor’s famous Glen Farm? Taylor was one of the wealthy bankers and railroad owners who came to summer in Newport. The Vanderbilts and others had their Portsmouth farms, but Taylor was sincerely interested in breeding the best animals. On September 28, 1882 Halsey P. Coon sold his “Glen Farm” to H.A.C. Taylor. The land evidence records note that it was a parcel of land with “two dwelling houses, a grist mill, two barns, two cribs and other out buildings” The tract of land was about 111 acres of land. The “Glen” is a traditional name for the area and Taylor continued to call it “Glen Farm.” In the hands of the Taylor family, the farm grew in value, prestige and land area.

Below is an older birds eye view of the barn complex. Note some wooden barns have been torn down.

  1. Pump House: This was home to the equipment that pumped water from the stream to supply the farm with water.
  2. Stone Horse Barn: Built in 1911. During World War II the stalls were removed and it was outfitted as a field hospital.
  3. Silo: This stone silo is attached to the stone barn with a stone passageway. It was probably built before 1926. There was a wooden silo, too, but it has been removed.
  4. Stone Cow Barn: Built in 1907, this barn was for dairy cows. This is where the Glen dairy was located.
  5. Stone Bull Barn with Bull Pen: This barn is dated 1910. There was a fire in this barn in 1926, but no animals were injured.6. Frame Cow Barn: The is one of the oldest of the barns and is the model for the barn architecture.
  6. Frame Horse Barn: Built in 1902, this barn may have had a fire at the south end in the 1940’s.
  7. Tool House: Wooden barn built before 1907.
  8. Wagon Shed: Wooden structure built before 1907. The Wagon Shed has now been removed.
  9. Garage: Stone structure built after 1907. Held Taylor cars until a garage was constructed at Stanton Farm.
  10. Slocum-Cundall Cemetary: Slocum graves from 1713 on are on the northeast corner. Cundall stones beginning with Joseph in 1811 are on the west side. Slocums and Cundalls had mills in the Glen.
  11. Mill: This mill is in the same spot as the original grist mill. It was probably built on the old mill’s foundation and was used as the carpentry shop for Glen Farm.  This building has been restored as a single family home.

The barns are arranged to provide courtyards of shelter from bad weather.