Historical information

Richard HORNSBY & Sons, established in 1828 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, was a prominent manufacturer of agricultural machinery, including horse-drawn mowers. Their mowers, introduced in the 1870s and 1880s, gained a reputation as some of the best harvesting machinery of their time.
In farming, a mower is used to harvest or manage forage crops, primarily grasses and legumes like lucerne (alfalfa), clover, ryegrass, and pasture hay.
Its main purpose is to cut these crops close to ground level to prepare them for drying (as hay) or silage.
It has evolved significantly over time—from horse-drawn to motorized, and eventually to modern self-propelled and tractor-mounted units.