Oldest records of orchards

We know orchards changed over the centuries, but the further back we go in time, the harder it is to find sources. We found more records of farm orchards and other types from the 16th century onwards, the earliest is from a Final Concord in 1587. Here is a selection. 

1587 - Shrowefeld orchards - the oldest record we could find

'Final Concord.

Plt: Wm. Howe Jn. Byshoppe Def: Jn. Shrowefeld als Mower & w. Mary --- 2 mess., 2 gardens, 2 orchards, 80ac arable, 3ac. meadow, 8ac pasture & 4ac. wood, Stopsley, Byscott & Luton. Easter, 1587.'

Accession number: X277/3, Bedfordshire Archives

Dating back to Easter 1587, this Final Concord [1] tells us about a sale between William Howe and John Bysshoppe as Plaintiffs and John and Mary Shrowefeld, and  John and Mary Mower as Deforciants. 

Included in the sale were 2 messuages (dwellings), 2 gardens, 2 orchards, 80 acres of arable land, 23 acres of meadow and 8 acres of pasture. There were also 4 acres of woods in Luton and what were then the villages of Biscot ('Byscott' at that time) and Stopsley. 

[1] What is a Final Concord?

Since medieval times, it was common to create and transfer land ownership through court actions, because entries in royal courts were considered legally binding. People would use the Court of Common Pleas to record these agreements. 

In the Final Concord (or Fine), the buyer (called the plaintiff) claimed the seller (called the deforciant) had promised to sell the land but hadn’t done so. In these cases, there wasn't a real dispute, so they reached a settlement before the court could decide and the buyer was given ownership. 

This was recorded on parchment in three parts: one for the buyer, one for the seller and the last part was kept by the court. These records, known as Feet of Fines, date from between 1182 and 1834.

1641 - Hawtree Orchard

'Barn ETC Adjoining Hawtree House in Pepper Alley in Luton. Sale by Thos. Sane, of Luton, yeoman (Exor. of Will of Ann Norris) to Rob. Stevens, of Luton, Butcher, of the following property in Luton: 

- A barn standing in the neither [nether, i.e. back] yard of the house wherein Rob. Stevens dwells (called Hawtree House), containing two bays and built at the cost of Rob Stevens also the plot of land between the barn and the lane called Pepper Alley [2], and on the W. by the said back-yard, and abutting on the N. upon Hawtree Orchard, and on the S. by Thos. Sigge's barn.'


Dated: 1 June, 1641
Accession number: 17/39/61, Culture Trust Luton
[2] Pepper Alley was later renamed to Park Lane and now lies below the Luton Point shopping centre. 


1679 - Richard Bigg's orchard

'Bargain and sale with feoffment (one membrane)

(1) Richard Bigg of Limbury, parish of Luton, yeoman Thomas Bigg, William Bigg & Robert Bigg, brother of Richard Bigg (all sons of Richard Bigg, deceased) (all except Richard sign by mark)(vendors)

(2) Nathan Southen of Hemel Hempstead, Herts., mercer (purchaser)

Capital Messuage or tenement with appurtenances lying in Limbury now or late in tenure of Richard Bigg with outhouses, edifices, buildings, barns, stables, dovehouses, yards, orchards, gardens, backsides, closes, or parcels of arable land, meadows or pasture grounds (190 acres) in Limbury, Lygrave [now Leagrave], Biscott [now Biscot] and Luton AND all other freehold lands and tenements belonging to the four Biggs above.
Consideration £808
Witnesses John Southen, Thomas Marson, John Crawley'


Accession number: Z 584/1, Bedfordshire Archives

1707 - St Mary's vicarage orchard

St Mary's is the main Anglican church in Luton. Originally constructed in the 12th century, it is the only Grade I listed building in the town. 

According to a late 19th century history of the church in Luton by Henry Hobbe, the vicarage orchard of St Mary's Church in Luton is "fended by mote of water." Two of the three small meadows abutting on this pool or moat are called in the tithe map of 1844, 'Blackwater Meadow' (No. 1083) and 'Pondwick Meadow' (No. 1093). 

In a map of the vicarage grounds from 1845, the churchyard and vicarage are depicted as separated from these meadows by a causeway called 'Blackwater Lane'. The latter was bounded by two ditches, at least one of them emptying itself into the River Lea.

The vicarage house in Luton is first mentioned in a 1707 terrier (register) of church property (accession number P85/2/1/1, Bedfordshire Archives). The house is described as follows:

'Homestall The vicarage house is built with Timber and studded and lime walls between the studs [sic] and covered with Tiles and contains a Kitchen floored with brick one Hall floored with brick two Parlors [sic] floored with deal boards and ceiled a Brewhouse with an earthen floor a Pantry with office conveniences with an earthen floor also six rooms above stairs with a closett [sic] floored with boards and ceiled'.

Additionally there was: 'one tenement next the Church yard now in the occupation of George Read three bays built with timber and studded with walls of Timber between the Studds and covered with Tyles [sic] one stable one outhouse next the Church yard built with Timber covered with Tyles and Brick walls between the studs.'

The terrier went on: 'The Vicarage house hath an orchard one acre and a half of ground fenced in by a Mote [sic] of water.'


(Sources: 'Luton Church, historical and descriptive' by Henry Cobbe, Bedfordshire Archives and OS Town Plans of England and Wales)Accession number: P85/2/1/1, Bedfordshire Archives

Further research ideas