Table Top block purchased by James Bell in 1856 on the market

The 17.3-hectare block on Jas Bell Drive, which was formerly used as a vineyard, has been owned by the Bell family since 1856.

James Bell made his way by ship to Australia from Ireland in 1840 and previously owned land near Violet Town and Tumbarumba before he moved to Table Top.

Great-great-grandson Peter Bell and his siblings have researched the family history and discovered plenty of interesting stories.

"It still amazes me that these young people, I think he was 20 and his wife at that stage was 19, jumped on a boat and sailed away with no prospect of seeing any of their family ever again and went to the other side of the world," Peter said.

"He arrived in 1840 and had a property called Glenmore Run near Violet Town, which he sold to the Quinns, of Ned Kelly fame. Ned Kelly used to hide at the property.

"He then spent a lot of time up near Tumbarumba and the Kyeamba Gap and there's lots of stories of him being a great horseman.

"The interesting thing was they used to grow wine there and the next door neighbour was an Albury businessman called T.H. Mate.

"My great-great-grandfather, Mate and a few others brought down all these winemakers and that's how the wine industry in the North East started. He grew grapes here in the 1860s.

"The original farm name was Spring Park and this was called the Ten Mile Hill."

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James Bell started as a shoemaker, but made a name for himself on the Border.

"He arrived here about 1856 and they had a block of land bound by Dean Street, Kiewa Street, Smollett Street and David Street, where Myer is. He sold the Abicare (Abikhair) family that corner," Peter said.

"His wife died on the ship on the way out and he remarried at St Francis Church in Melbourne in 1855 to an Irish woman called Bridget and they had 16 children.

"They lived on Nine Mile Creek opposite what's now known as Bell's Reserve.

"They expanded the property and two sons stayed, my grandfather and his brother. They were prominent here in the 1920s, 30s and 40s and were Hume Shire presidents.

"We've done a bit of research and we believe this is the oldest bit of land in the district that has continuously been held by one family."

Peter said the land had been used for agistment, but it wasn't viable for farming.

Selling agent Matt Sharp, of PRD Albury, said it had been a great opportunity to work with the Bell family.

"We're appreciative to be involved during the change of ownership for the longest held parcel of land in the district," he said.

The property is for sale through expressions of interest until April 26.