HISTORY

The Garden’s History – Then & Now

How old is the garden?

The design suggests a Georgian origin but the site has been in cultivation for far longer and it is probably on the site of a garden belonging to Maldon’s Carmelite Friary which was founded in 1293. This friary was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538 and the site was then occupied by a Tudor mansion. This was replaced at the beginning of the 19th century by two Georgian houses called Friary West and Friary East which are still in use. The garden from that time was private and let to tenant gardeners who planted many fruit trees, vines and flowering plants. The last tenant gardener was a keen plantsman and many of the trees there now may be attributed to his interest in the garden. In the 1970s the garden was shut up and it lay neglected until the Maldon & Heybridge Horticultural Society showed an interest in restoring it once again to a working garden. It was formally handed over to this Society in 1987, although it is still owned by Essex County Council. Work was then started to clear the overgrowth and find what was there.

What happened then?     After years of neglect it presented a very daunting appearance. A dense tangle of enormously vigorous brambles and other self sown undergrowth prevented any clear view of the area and thoroughly barred the way along the paths. Many old bottles and cans thrown over the wall added a touch of colour to the rich dark leaf mould in the heavily shaded beds. The early work carried out by volunteers of the Society revealed a network of narrow paths between box hedges. Many interesting plants were recorded and a mass of bulbs came to life once the overgrowth had been removed and the sunlight was let in.

And how is it now?    Work still continues and is carried out by a very small group of volunteers who dedicate their time to keeping the Friary Walled Garden as a working garden, open to visitors on a regular basis. They have their own keys and can come and go as they please. They have small beds of their own for growing flowers or vegetables and all share in the general garden work. Progress is slow but steady and there is always more work to be done when time and money permit. It is not a process of restoration to an original design or period but an attempt to maintain a small area of peace and pleasure in the centre of Maldon. It is a formal layout superimposed by a wild cottage type of garden.

Finance?     Our only source of funds is a donation box and the occasional sponsorship. Added to this there are the generous gifts of plants and equipment. Donations would be welcomed to help our work. Cheques should be made payable to Maldon & Heybridge Horticultural Society (MHHS) and all such donations will be reserved for the work in the Garden.

Can you help?      We are always in need of help both financial and practical. There are always jobs that need to be done, often very small ones not taking a great deal of time, skill or effort. There is always weeding, planting, tidying up and collecting all the rubbish that gets thrown or blown over the wall. There are sometimes small constructional jobs to be done, involving bricks, timber and such like materials. Apart from the actual gardening work, we could do with somebody to help raise cash, get sponsors and do the planning and help with organisational work. None of us are highly skilled gardeners nor botanical experts; we like gardens and gardening from an amateur aspect and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere found in the Friary Walled Garden. We also enjoy the social aspect of working as a small team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For other pages, go to INDEX or to the Main Heading