Complex sentence: The few fields that remained were for hay or cattle, forming a small green belt, these estates exerted a powerful influenced on the town and its obvious in its defences shown and respect paid to these landed families until at least the First World War.
Split into simpler sentences: The few fields that remained were for hay or cattle, forming a small green belt. These estates exerted a powerful influence on the town, something obvious in the deference shown and respect paid to these landed families until at least the First World War.