Market Gardening Heritage project gets underway
- 29th January 2019
Driving over the bridge into Evesham you pass asparagus fields – a small remnant of the market gardening industry that thrived in the Vale of Evesham until the mid-20th century. A new project exploring and celebrating the market gardening heritage in the Vale is now underway and looking for volunteers. The key focus of this two year Heritage Lottery Fund project is memories and buildings, as both are at risk of soon being lost without record.
At one time, most of the local population were employed in market gardening. Each gardener rented narrow stripes of land for growing a mixture of vegetables, fruit, cut flowers and, at times, medicinal herbs, which were later sold at markets up and down the country. As all gardeners know, a shed is essential for storing equipment, produce and providing shelter. Market gardening was no exception: rows of timber, corrugated iron and occasionally brick built structures once lined the ends of grounds. Generally built to market gardeners own design and requirements, each was unique. Since the rise of commercial horticulture and decline of market gardening, these small buildings – locally known as ‘hovels’ – have been slowly disappearing. A survey to record surviving hovels within 11 parishes is now underway, thanks to the work of volunteers.
Maps of the hovels survey area, showing the 1300+ that were built (left) and those that possibly or definitely remained in 2018 (right).
Alongside the physical remains of market gardening are stories to uncover and memories to capture. If you are interested in researching lost tales and recording recollections, or have memories that you wish to share, please get in touch with us.
Volunteer research training is taking place on Saturday 23rd February, 10-12 in Worcester, and Thursday 25th April, 2-4pm in Evesham. An oral history workshop is also taking place on Saturday 23rd February, 1-4pm in Worcester. For further details or to volunteer, please email explorethepast@worcestershire.gov.uk or phone 01905 766352.
My father and grandfather were market gardeners and i would like to share my memories.
That would be great – thank you for getting in touch! We’ll send you an email.