1) Why orchards here in Eastwood?

If we look to the 'Land Utilisation Survey' overseen by Dudley Stamp (ed), the 'Essex' volume written by NV Scarfe 1942 and the recent work by Wormwell; 'Essex Farming 1900-2000',

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we can see the geological and historical agricultural factors leading to the Peacock family settling, along with a dozen others, in Eastwood. This was due to the Small Holdings Act enabling a “land fit for heroes” post 1914-18 War. These holdings were 5/7 acres: the returning servicemen were settled in three areas of Essex; Boxted, the Colchester area and Eastwood were all specifically identified for orchards.

By 1920 1,507 men had applied for land in Essex,the Small Holdings Committee had approved 400 and 97 went on to the land!

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Part of Eastwood it seems was for non-commissioned officers from Shoebury Garrison.

The present day St Laurence`s Traditional Orchard is the remaining fragment of the original Peacock holding which was started 1920-22: the extent of the original orcharding area depicted on the 1938 O.S. map is shown below (the area currently (2008) occupied by St Laurence orchard is marked in green - a small fraction of its past expanse).

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The mature standards seem to date from then.These being mostly Bramley with King of Pippins as pollinator, one unknown standard imposed because there was a space during the war 1939-45, Pershore plums, Victoria plum, greengage, a single cox (from the original cox!), and, as part of the war effort, 6 cherries were planted along the northern sector of the existing orchard, where oaks replaced them in the 1950`s.

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It appears that barrels of windfalls were always placed outside on Eastwoodbury Lane by the Peacock familly.

Southend Borough Council's Local Biodiversity Action Plan (2005) recognises the historical, cultural and wildlife value of St Laurence orchard;

"After the First World War a number of orchards were planted around Southend in an attempt to supply the rapidly growing population of the town with fresh fruit.

Most of these have been lost as a result of development or through changes in
agriculture. One or two examples remain with perhaps the best example of a traditional orchard being one found in St Laurence Park in Eastwood that was planted sometime between 1923 and1936."

(Click image above for link to LBAP habitat Action Plan - Terrestrial)

2) Geological factors and wider history of fruit growing in the region

Geologically this site is on the Rochford Basin: one of the 3 Coastal Brickearth Regions (Clacton Plain,Dengie Plain and the Rochford Basin). Rochford is the most productive.

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Eastwood`s mention in the Essex Domesday Book shows smallholders on 30 acres owned by Swein of Essex.

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This continues a long legacy of smallholdings,intensively farmed as shown in the Parish Assessment in 1638.

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Later maps 1777 Andre and Chapman,

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then the Ordnance Survey of 1805 give pictorial views. 

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The surveys of Vancouver,Young and Baker describe the area thus;

1795

Charles Vancouver considered the Rochford area as temperate mixed soil upon a gravelley loam,a gravel and a brick earth.

1807

Arthur Young describes it as a maritime district of fertile loam.

1844

Robert Baker describes a tender loam or brick earth uncommonly fine for all vegetables and grains.

Appendix[7] gives a wider Essex picture of cropping and orchard numbers for the period 1875-1939;

"Fruit growing was favoured because the cooling effect of the sea in spring prevents premature appearance of fruit buds and blossom. Essex has a high percentage of sunshine favouring the ripening of seeds,fruit and wheat.Conditions favourable to the growth of early vegetables near the sea include a moderating influence minimising unseasonable frosts"

S.E. Essex relief is related to the various overflow channels of the former Thames.

3) Fruit growing in the twentieth century

The cycle of fruit growing for the twentieth century is illustrated thus;

1900 2,501 acres of orchards

1930`s commercial fruit growing expanded rapidly

1955 peak with 13,000 acres decline thereafter to

1996 2,699 acres

Within this peak there is a photo taken in the Kursaal Southend hosting the Essex Commercial Horticultural Show 1948 from P.Wormwell Essex Farming 1900-2000

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The suitability of Essex for fruit growing is recorded contemporarily in the 1920`s;

"Essex seems very free from frost…a good water supply is most necessary….land is cheap.”

"Essex is largely a dessert apple county…the soils and climate are admirably suited to growing high quality dessert apples with Cox`s and Worcester`s second to none,as we believe in the world” - Wormwell p195.

Earlier scenarios of fruit growing in Essex;

"There were wild fruits from hedgerows,blackberries flourished on heavey clay lands of Essex. Damsons, sloes, medlars, wild plums, and crab apples were all gathered by mother and children. Every farmstead had a small orchard attached with gnarled unpruned apple trees, greengages and plums were grown.” - Wormwell p8.

4) Apple origins

The origins of apples appear to be the wild fruits found in the Tien Shan mountains of Kazakhstan along the so called Silk Road

Malus sieversus evolved into Malus domesticus and found its way via the Romans to Britain.There was selection of the sweetest by bear,boar,horse and human. This is well documented in Roger Deakin's 'Wildwood - A Journey Through Trees', p283 chapter East of Eden.

All book references will be found fully in the bibliography along with other related reading sources.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A

Report of the land utilisation survey of Britain ed.Dudley Stamp part 82 by N.V.Scarfe 1942

Boreham ed Burgess and Rance 1988 Lavenham Press

Essex Farming 1900-2000 Peter Wormwell 1999 Abberton Press

Common Ground book of orchards ed Gail Vines 2000 Common Ground

Directory of Apple Cultivars Martin Crawford 2001 Agroforestry Resarch Trust

Fruits from the Forest Richard Abernethy 1996 Red Rose Forest

A Wild Orchard in a Park Caterham(1992)+Men of the Trees

The Apple Grower Michael Phillips 2005 Chelsea Green

Your Edible Landscapes Robert Kourik 1986 Metamorphic Press

Forest Gardening Robert Hart 1991 Green Books

Secret Lives of Trees Colin Tudge 2005 Penguin Books

Wildwood Roger Deakin 2007 Hamish Hamilton

B

England in Particular Clifford and King 2006 Hodder and Stoughton

The Woodlanders Thomas Hardy new Wessex 1974 Macmillan

Ursula K Le Guin The Word for World is Forest 1977 Gollancz

Baron of the Trees Italo Calvino

Akenfield Ronald Blythe1972 Penguin Books

Fruit Trees on their own Roots Hugh Ermen

A Good Practice Guide for Managing Orchard Projects Ida Fabrizio 2008 www.sustainweb.org 02078371228

Growing Food in Cities Tara Garnett 1996 National Food Alliance and SAFE Alliance

Digger Pamphlet by Gerrard Winstanley 1649