Bosses of a historic Northumberland estate told a wind farm inquiry the turbines would damage tourism.

Trustees of the Ford and Etal Estates also revealed they had been close to allowing turbines to be erected on their land, before pulling out of negotiations following a "backlash of public opinion".

The estate, which is home to Ford Castle and the famous Flodden battlefield, was represented at a public inquiry into three bids to erect a combined 20 structures near Berwick. Its land agent Mark Cuddigan told planning inspector Ruth McKenzie, sitting at the town's Maltings, that he believes the wind farms would have "both a material direct and indirect long-term adverse impact" on the estate by damaging its claim to be situated in the ‘stunning North Northumbrian landscape'."

The estate comprises more than 13,000 acres of agricultural land and woodland, the villages of Ford and Etal and parts of nearby Crookham and Milfield. It is home to 48 listed buildings and 14 scheduled monuments. A total of 31 non-agricultural businesses rent property from the trustees, who employ 37 people.

Mr Cuddigan told the hearing the estate began to receive approaches from wind companies in 1995, with Force 9 Energy, developer of one of the schemes being heard at the inquiry, making contact in 2003.

For more than a year, negotiations took place with the developer on erecting turbines on part of the estate, culminating in plans being entered for a monitoring mast.

Mr Cuddigan said: "The trustees were unprepared for the backlash of public opinion."

The estate asked the developer to consider reducing the height of the turbines but this approach was rejected. As a result, the trustees pulled out of negotiations in early 2006, incurring "considerable abortive professional fees."

The inquiry is hearing appeals by three companies which were refused planning permission by the now-defunct Berwick Borough Council last March.

Your Energy is seeking seven turbines at Moorsyde, Force 9 Energy six at Barmoor and npower renewables seven at Toft Hill.

Mrs McKenzie will make recommendations to Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, who will determine the three appeals. The hearing resumes on Wednesday when members of the public can have their say from 9.30am.