A Letter from Dr. Ducarel, F. R. S. and F. S. A. to Dr. William Watson, M. D. and F. R. S. concerning Chesnut Trees; With Two Other Letters to Dr. Ducarel, on the Same Subject

Received February 4. XVII. A Letter from Dr. Ducarel, F.R.S. and F.S.A. to Dr. William Watson, M.D. and F.R.S. concerning Chesnut Trees; with two other Letters to Dr. Ducarel, on the same Subject. Sir, Read Mar. 8, 1771. In a letter addressed to you, on the trees which are supposed to be indigenous in Great Britain, published in the Philosophical Transactions*, the Hon. Mr. Daines Barrington has attacked a prevailing notion among the learned; that chesnut trees are the native production of this kingdom. Mr. Barrington argues that they are not; and his reasonings on this, are now to be considered. In my Anglo-Norman Antiquities, p. 96. I had observed that "many of the old houses (in Normandy) when pulled down, are found to have a great deal of chesnut timber about them; as there are not any forests of chesnut trees in Normandy, the inhabitants have a tradition, that this timber was brought from England: and there are some circumstances, which, when rightly considered, will * Vol. LIX. p. 23. add strength to this tradition; for many of the old houses in England are found to contain a great deal of this kind of timber: several of the houses in Old Palace Yard, Westminster, and in that neighbourhood, which were taken down in order to build Parliament and Bridge-streets, appeared to have been built with chestnut; and the same was observed with regard to the Black Swan Inn, in Holborn, and many other old buildings lately pulled down in different parts of England." And to this I had subjoined the following account in a note. "Chestnut timber being at present rarely to be found growing in the woods and forests of England, many persons are induced to think that the sweet chestnut was never an indigenous tree of this island: but a little consideration will plainly evince, that it always was, and is to this day, a native of England. It is generally allowed, that all the ancient houses in the city of London were built of this timber. Certainly it did not grow far off; and most probably it came from some forests near the town; for Fitz Stephens, in his description of London, written in the reign of king Henry the Second, speaks of a large and very noble forest, which grew on the North side of it. Rudhall, near Ross, in Herefordshire, an ancient seat of the family of Rudhall, is built with chestnut, which probably grew on that estate; for although no tree of the kind is now to be found growing wild in that part of the country, yet there can be no doubt, but that formerly chestnut trees were the natural growth of the neighbouring wood lands, since we find that Roger earl of Hereford, founder of the abbey of Flaxley, in Gloucestershire, by his charter, printed in Dugdale's monasticon, tom. i. p. 884. gave the monks there, the tythe of the chesnuts in the forest of Deane, which is not above seven or eight miles from Rudhall. The words, are Singulis annis totam decimam castra- nearum de Dena. In the court before the house at Hagley Hall, in Worcestershire, the seat of Lord Lyttelton, are two vast sweet chesnut trees, which seem to be at least two, if not three hun- dred years old; and Mr. Evelyn, in his Sylva, p. 232. mentions one, of an enormous size, at Tort- worth, in Gloucestershire, which hath continued a signal boundary to that manor, from King Ste- phen's time, as it stands upon record; and which tree is still living, and surrounded by many young ones, that have come up from the nuts dropped by the parent tree. Mr. Evelyn also assures us, that he had a barn framed entirely of chesnut tim- ber, which had been cut down in its neighbour- hood. In the forest of Kent, adjoining to Sussex, there still remains several large old chesnut stubbs, which were left by the woodmen as termini, or boundaries, either of parishes, or private property. Besides this, there are to this day, in the North East part of Kent, several large woods, consisting principally of chesnut trees and stubs. In the parish of Milton, near Sittingborne, is a manor called Norwood Casteney, otherwise Chesteney, from its situation among chesnut woods, which reach to the highway from London to Dover, and give name to a hill between Newington and Sit- tingborne, it being called Cheshnut Hill, the ches- nut "nut trees growing plentifully on each side of it, and in woods round it for many miles. And by the particulars for leases of crown lands in Kent, temp. Eliz. Roll III, No 8. now in the Augmentation office, it appears that there is, in the same parish of Milton, a wood containing two hundred and seventy eight acres and a half, called Cheston, otherwise Chesnut wood. To conclude, my worthy friend, Edward Hasted, esq; of Sutton at Hone, near Dartford in Kent, F.R.S. and F.S.A. affiures me that one of his tenants at Newington, a few years since grubbed up forty acres of wood, which were intirely chesnut." In the very out-set of the argument, Mr. Barrington imposes upon himself, by changing the terms of the question. "Since you sent me, says he to Dr. Watson, the specimen of supposed chesnut, which was taken from the old hall of Clifford's Inn, I have been at some pains to examine the authority for the prevailing notion, with regard to this be- ing an indigenous tree" (p. 23.)—but in p. 24. he says, "I shall begin by considering the proofs, which are commonly relied upon to the Spanish or sweet chesnut being indigenous in Great Britain."— though not one word has preceded, though not one word follows, of the Spanish and the common ches- nut being the same. He then alledges, "that the very name of Spanish, seems strongly to indicate the country from which it was originally introduced here" (p. 24.) This is surely a striking instance of an inaccuracy of language; the whole controversy between us turns only upon that which is commonly called the chesnut tree, and which is therefore de- T 2 nominated nominated *Castanea Vulgaris*, by all the ancient Botanists. It is so called by Dr. Johnson in his *Mercurius Botanicus*: by the same author, in his *Iter Cantianum*; and by Blackstone, in his *Specimen Botanicum*; and in this true view of the controversy, let us examine the principal parts of it. I have, Sir, in the abovementioned quotation, particularly noticed a large tract of chesnut woods, to continue to this day near Sittingborne, in Kent; in opposition to this, Mr. Barrington says, that he has taken a very minute inspection of these woods; and that, "finding them planted in rows, and without any scattering trees to introduce them, he is convinced that they are not natives." (p. 27 and 28) Such is the argument by which my assertion is endeavoured to be set aside. I shall not here enter into an examination of the four general rules laid down by Mr. Barrington, "from which it may be decided, whether a tree is indigenous or not in any country," p. 23. That I leave to the consideration of two of my particular friends, who have entered into the Botanical reasons produced by Mr. Barrington, and whose letters to me on this subject are hereunto annexed. I confine myself to the fact. "Remember, says Dr. Plot in his MS. *Collectanea of Kent* (in the library of Edward Jacob, Esq.; of Feversham) the iron oar smelted in Chesnut wood, in the confines of Borden and Newington." Dr. Johnson, in his *Iter Cantianum*, 1632, speaks of the *Castanea Vulgaris inter Sittingbourne et Rochester*. And this Chesnut wood is equally mentioned as early as the 22d of Elizabeth, under the title of *Quaedam Sylva, vocata Chestenwode*, in in a conveyance, which the reader may see below (1). This wood then is not very modern; and if ever it was planted by any human hand, must have been planted two or three ages ago; but it was certainly never planted by any human hand; the whole wood (1) Ex. Orig. penes Edw. Jacob Arm. de Feversham, S.A.S. Nov. 22, 1770. Sciant p’sent. et futur. q’d ego Georgius Clyfforde, p’ochie de Bobbynge in com. Kanc. ar. p’ quadam pecunie summa michi p’fato Georgio p’ Georgium Ffylmer p’ manibus solut. unde fateor me fore solut. et content. dictumq; Georgium Ffylmer hered. et exec. et admynystr. suos fore exonerat. et acquietat. p’ p’sent. dedi concessi vendidi et hac p’sent. carta mea confyrnavi eidem Georgio Ffylmer quinque acr. ter. et bosc. sive majus sive minus scituat. jacen. et existen. in pochia de Borden in com. p’dicto videl’t ad quandam silvam ib’m, voc. Chesten woode versus West ad ter.* Garret, gen’; versus Southe ad ter. hered. Alexandr. Cottye; versus Est ad boscū hered. Henrici Droumfyde; versus Northe; Est et West ad boscū Thome Pettenden, versus North; H’end. et Tenend. predict. quinque acr. ter. et bosc. cum omnibus et syngulis suis p’tin. p’fat. Georgio Ffilmer hered. et assign. suis ad opus et usum ipsius Georgii Ffilmer hered. et assign. suor. imp’petū Caplitib. d’no feodi p’ servis inde eis prius debit. et de jur. consuet. Et ego p’dicct. Georgius Clyfford et hered. mei p’dicct. quinque acr. ter. et bosc cum omnibus et singulis suis p’tin. p’fat. Georgio Ffilmer hered. et assign. suis contra omnes gentes warrantizabimus et imp’petū defendemus p’ p’sentes. In cujus rei testimonium ego p’dictus Georgius Clyford huic p’sent. cart. mee sigillum meum apposui; dat. vicefimo octavo die Maii anno regni dæe Ære Elizabeth dei gra’ Angl. Frauncie, et Hib. Regine fidei defensoris, &c. vicefimo secundo. Georgius Clyfforde, (L. S.) Sealed and delivered in the presence of German Wake, & Henry Whithead. * Sic Orig. covers more than three hundred acres of land. In one part of Chesnut wood, upon the hanging banks of Chesnut-street, and in the way from Kay-street to Stockbury, are now the remains of large chesnut trees and pollards, which were plainly planted by the bold irregular hand of nature. I had also mentioned a grant (or rather a confirmation of a grant) made to the abbey of Flexeley, which was the tithe of chesnuts in the forest of Dean; "totam Decimam Castanearum de Denâ." But Mr. Barrington objects to the supposition "of Dena, in the record, meaning the forest of Dean, as there are so many places of the name of Dean in the kingdom." This however is surely an objection of no weight. The Cistercian abbey of Flexeley, or Dene, was actually situated in the forest of Dean (2), and was anciently called Flaxlyn abbey of St. Mary de Dean (3). This abbey, together with Dean Magna (alias Mitchell Dean), and Dean Parva, all lie in the same hundred with the forest (the hundred of Saint Briannell), and are included in the ecclesiastical deanery, called Forest: where, therefore can the Dene of Flexely be placed, but at the forest in which it was situated, and from which it derived half of its appellation? And what pretence can a Dene in Hampshire, or a Dean in Lancashire, have to a place in a record, which relates only to the abbey of Saint Mary de Dene, in the forest of Dean? But all such reasonings are unnecessary: the point is ascertained beyond the possibility of a doubt, by Henry the Second's confirmation of the original (2) Tanner's Notitia, p. 147. (3) Atkin's Gloucestershire, p. 288. Edit. 1768. grant, which may be seen below (4). The king, by this record, confirms to the monks, locum qui dicitur Flexleia (4) Flexleyensis Abbatia, in agro Gloucestrensi. Carta Henrici Normannorum Ducis, Donatorum concessiones recitans et confirmans. H. Dux Normanniae et comes Andegaviæ archiepisc., &c. Salutem. Sciatis me concessisse et confirmasse Deo et Sanctae Mariæ, et monachis ordinis Cisterciensis, pro salute antecessorum meorum, et mea propria, in elemosinam perpetuam, omnes illas donationes quas Rogerus Comes Herefordiae eisdem monachis in elemosinam dedit, juxta testimonium cartarum suarum, scilicet, locum quendam in valle Castiart, quæ dicitur Flexleia, ad construendam abbatiam, et totam terram illam quæ dicitur Wafadene, quæ fuit Walfrici, et quandam fabricam ferrariam apud Edlandam, et totam terram sub veteri Castello de Dena ad fartandam, et illam quæ est affartata, et quandam piscariam apud Redliam, quæ dicitur Newerra, et quoddam pratum in Pulmede, et omnia aisimenta sua in foresta de Dena, et dominicum totum de Dimmoc, et terram illam quæ fuit Uthredi clerici, et terram Ernaldi, et terram Wolfrici, ita scilicet, quod ipse Uthredus clericus remaneat in manu abbatis, cum escambio sue, scilicet duabus virgatis terræ quod nemini inde respondeat nisi abbat; et dimidium nemus apud Dimmoc; et singulis annis totam decimam Caftanearum de Dena, et terram illam quam adquietavit ipse Comes Herefordiae de Gaufrido filio predicti Wulfrici, et aliam quam ipse Comes adquietavit de Leffrico, de Strattra. Quare volo, &c. Nos autem has praedictas donationes non tantum eis confirmo, sed etiam omnes alias quas idem Rogerus Comes Herefordiae illis in elemosinam daturus est. Testibus Rogero Comite Herefordiae, Willielmo de Crivecuer, Ricardo de Humet, Constab. Phillippo de Columbariis, Roberto de Ivigum, Willielmo de Angervill, Willielmo Cumin, apud Evesham. Cart. Antiq. X. Num. 4. Carta regis Henrici Secundi. Henricus, Dei gratia, Rex Angliæ, et Dux Normanniæ et Acquitanniæ, et Comes Andegaviæ, Archiepifopis, &c. et omnibus fidelibus suis Anglis et Normannis, tam praefentibus, quam Flexleia ubi abbatia fundata est, by the title of Locum quendam in foresta de Lenâ. He afterwards goes on, quam futuris, salutem. Sciatis me dedisse et confirmasse Deo et Beatæ Mariæ et Monachis meis de Dena, quos in propria protectione suscepi, pro salute mea et antecessorum meorum, in elemosinam perpetuam, locum quendam in foresta de Dena, videlicet, totam vallem de Castiard, et locum qui dicitur Flexleia, ubi abbatia fundata est de ordine Cisterciensi, in honore beatæ virginis Mariæ, pro amore Dei, et pro anima regis Henrici avi mei, et Comitis Gaufridi Andegaviæ patris mei, et Matildis imperatricis matris meæ, et aliorum parentum et antecessorum meorum, et pro salute mea, et hæredum meorum, et pro stabilitate et pace regni Angliæ. Concessi etiam eis et confirmavi omnes illas donationes quas Rogerus comes Herefordiæ eisdem in elemosinam dedit sicut carta ejus testantur. Præterea dedi eis et confirmavi omnia aisiamenta in eadem foresta mea de Dena, scilicet pasturam juvencis suis et porcis suis, et omnibus aliis pecoribus suis, et ligna et materiem ad domos suas et ad ædificia sua facienda, et ad alias res usu sui suo necessarias, sine valetu in eadem foresta mea. Et de eadem foresta dedi eis decimam cañtanearum mearum, et grangeam quæ dicitur Wastedena, et unam forgeam ferrariam, ita liberam et quietam et operantem, per omnia, sicut méæ dominicæ forgeæ. Et totam terram sub veteri castello de Dene ad sartandam, et illam quæ est assartata; videlicet, centum acras, et quandam piscariam apud Reidleiam, que dicitur Nolwera, et quoddam pratum apud Reidleiam, quod vocatur Pulmede; scilicet quatuor acras, et terram quam illis dedit in elemosinam Leuvericus de Staura, et grangiam quam eis dedi apud Wallemere, de assartis meis; videlicet, ducentas acras, cum pratis et pascuis, et omnibus aliis aisiamentis, et quatuor acras de Northwoda, et totam dominicatum meum de Dimmoch, et quinque virgatas terræ et dimidiam, præter dominicatum, et dimidium nemus meum de Dimmoch, et dimidium retium in manu mea, propter aisiamenta hominum meorum, ea scilicet de causa, ut monachi mei habeant suam partem nemoris in bene et in pace, et fine omni communione aliorum hominum; et firmiter præcipio, ut nullus eos super hoc inquietet. Præterea dedi eis effartum quoddam subtus Castiard, quod vocatur Terra Vincentii. Hæc omnia dedi to give them *omnia alimenta in eadem foresta mea de Dena*; and then he particularly subjoins, *et de eadem foresta dedi eis Decimam Castanearum mearum*. Can any words possibly be more explicit than these? And can Mr. Barrington aver against the testimony of an authentic record? But, though the Dena of the record does mean the forest of Dean, Mr. Barrington has still an objection in reserve; and asserts that "there are not the least vestiges of any such trees in this forest at present." (p. 29.) But is Mr. Barrington sure there are no vestiges of chestnut trees in the forest? Did Mr. Barrington inspect into every part of this ample area? And did no trees, no stumps, no stools, escape his eye in this wide unbounded range? But the fact appears otherwise. There are not merely stumps, not merely stools, of chestnut trees; but actual and absolute trees of chestnut existing at this day, in the forest of Dean. In a letter to me, dated Dec. 10, 1770, from the Rev. Mr. William Crawley, resident at, and minister of Flaxley (uncle to Thomas Crawley Bovey, Esq.; the present owner of Flaxley abbey); is the following account:—"In this very forest and near Flaxley is a parcel of land, about three or dedi Deo et beatæ Mariæ et monachis meis Deo devote servientibus, habenda et tenenda imperpetuum, soluta et quieta ab omni reguardo et exactione seculari. Quare volo, &c. Teste Ricardo de Humet, Willielmo de Creveca, Philippo de Columbariis, Willielmo de Angervill, apud Evesham. (Monasticon Anglicanum, Tom. I. p. 884). Pat. 22 R. II. part 3. m. 16. per Inspex. Vide Cart. antiqu. N. N. 30. Et pat. 27 H. VI. par. I. m. 9. Vol. LXI. four hundred acres, which is still denominated "chesnut": though neither chesnut, nor any other kind of tree is to be seen there, excepting what we call underwood or coppice, mostly hazel. Indeed in many places of the forest, I find chesnut trees are (sparingly) to be met with; but within a few yards of the above spot, in a wood of my nephew, are many of remarkable fine growth." But, even if the fact had been as Mr. Barrington hath stated it, the faith of a record attesting the existence of chesnut trees formerly, in the forest of Dean, was surely not to be superseded by the non-existence of such trees at present; they might have existed formerly, though they do not exist at present. And the record explicitly assures us that they did exist, and as early at least as the reign of Henry the Second. The chesnut tree, therefore, may still claim a natural relation to this island, notwithstanding the two arguments of Mr. Barrington against it: and if we look into this kingdom, we see the chesnut tree, not confined to Sittingbourne woods, or to Dean forest; but scattered with a free hand, through many parts thereof; shooting up with all the healthy vigour of genuine natives, and giving denomination to several places amongst us. Thus the chesnut wood of Sittingbourne, has given the name of Chesnut-street, to the neighbouring road; and the old Saxon half of the name, Street, strongly intimates the other half to be very ancient. The appellation occurs in the first map, that notices the names of the roads, the map of Kent by Morden. In Hertfordshire is a town, called in old writings, Cheston, Chesthunte, Shesterhunte, and Cestrehunt; and Norden (in his description discription of Hertfordshire, p. 15,) says, Cur non (5) Chester? Castanetum of Chesnut trees? The Saxons were well acquainted with this tree, and, according to Skinner and Lye, called it Cyrtel and Cyzz-beam; the same word evidently with our present Chesnut. Dr. Johnson, in his Mercurius Botanicus, 1634, remarks the chesnut to have been not unfrequent in the woods, as well as in the plantations, of his own times; Castanea Vulgaris in sylvis nonnullis et viridariis;—Mr. Dale, in his History of Harwich, mentions various chesnut trees to be growing in Stour wood, within the parish immediately adjoining to Harwich. Blackstone, in his Specimen Botanicum, p. 12. speaks of chesnut trees growing in (6) Bulwin woods, between Dartford and Bexley, in Kent, plentifully; not twenty miles distant from London. Mr. Philipot, in his Villare Cantianum, which was printed in 1659, says in p. 237. "There is a manor, called Northwood Chasteners, which name complies with the situation; for it stands North from the town, in a wood where chesnut trees formerly grew in abundance." "The noble chesnut tree," says Morton, (Northamptonshire, p. 397.) belonging to the Worshipful Thomas Tryft, Esq; of Marford, is the largest of that kind I have any where seen: the body of it is no less than fifteen feet eight inches in circumference; and it extends its branches proportionably." "On the outside of the Roman station at Temple Brough, near Sheffield, in Yorkshire, says Gibson's Camden, (Vol. II. p. 847.) "is a large bank, upon which are huge trees, and upon the side of the bank of the highway, (5) Chester. (6) Now Baldwyn Woods. U 2 there grew a chesnut tree that had scarce any bark upon it, but only upon some top branches which bore leaves; it was not tall, but the bole could scarcely be fathomed by three men." "There was standing, says Evelyn (in his Sylva, Fol. London, 1706, p. 223.) an old and decayed chesnut at Fraiting, in Essex, whose very stump did yield thirty sizeable loads of logs. I could produce you another of the same kind in Gloucestershire, which contains within the bowels of it, a pretty wainscotted room, enlightened with windows, and furnished with seats, &c." And to these we may add two great chesnut trees flourishing at Tortworth, in Gloucestershire, and at Writtlepark, in Essex; the former is allowed, even by Mr. Barrington, "to be the oldest tree that we have any account of, perhaps in Europe." (p. 30.) And the following description of both, was published about twelve or thirteen years ago (7); "At the seat of the Lord Ducie, at Tortworth, in Gloucestershire, there is now growing an English chesnut, which measures fifty one feet about, at the height of six feet above the ground. This tree divides itself, at the crown, into three limbs, one of which measures twenty eight feet and half in the girt, and five feet above the crown of the tree. The soil is a soft clay, somewhat loomy; the situation is the North West side of a hill; this tree was stiled, in King John's time, the great and old chesnut tree at Tortworth; so it is supposed to be now above one thousand years old." (7) London Magazine, 1758, p. 482. "There is another stately chesnut (8), but little inferior to that at Torteworth, in Writtle park, three miles to the left of Ingatestone, in Essex. The late Lord Petre measured this tree, and found it forty five feet girth, five feet from the ground; this vast trunk supports a lofty head, which, at a distance, affords a noble prospect, and well deserves to be surveyed by all that admire such wonderful productions." At Little Wymondley, near Hitchin, in Hertfordshire, is an old decayed chesnut tree, the trunk whereof (measured within these two years) was found to be forty two feet circumference in one part, and forty eight feet in another, as I am credibly informed.(9) And, to give additional force to an argument which is already decisive of itself, we may observe, that in the New Forest, there are very many chesnuts irregularly scattered among the oaks and other trees; and now to be seen in the road from Limington to Southampton. In this great abundance of chesnut trees formerly among us, we need not wonder that chesnut timber was frequently used in old houses, preferable to oak; it was then the timber most esteemed by our joiners and carpenters. And, though very lasting, yet it has been justly discredited, in these later ages, for houses, because, when it begins to decay, the consumption commences at the core, and the heart is the first destroyed. And we can produce some (8) In a News Paper, called The Citizen, or General Advertiser, Sept. 21. 1758. (9) This tree is situate in the grounds, and near the house of Little Wymondley Bury, late the estate of Lord Grosvenor, but purchased within two or three years by Col. Cracherode. proofs, additional to the many that have been formerly produced, of chesnut timber actually employed in buildings. "The old houses in the city of Gloucester (as the Reverend Mr. Crawley informs me that he has often been assured) are constructed of chesnut, derived assuredly from the chesnut trees in the forest of Dean." In many of the oldest houses at Feversham is much genuine chesnut, as well as oak, employed. In the nunnery of Davington, near Feversham (now entire), the timber consists of oak intermingled with chesnut. And the great chesnut beam which supported the leads of the church tower at Feversham, when it was lately taken down, was found rotted for many feet at the extremity; and had, as it were, a mere shell of sound timber remaining about it. Thus have I endeavoured, with all the respect due to genius and truth, to point out some of the mistakes into which, I apprehend, Mr. Barrington has fallen. I might have dwelt more largely upon the antiquarian part of my subject; but the botanical was more immediately my point. And in the examination of this, I have shewn, that the chesnut tree flourishes greatly in this kingdom; that it appears wildly scattered over the face of the country; that it was actually settled among us many centuries ago; and used by our ancestors in buildings; and that it was even familiarly known to the Saxons. All these united evidences strongly co-operate to prove it a native of this island, and must absolutely be allowed to prove it, till Mr. Barrington, or some other person, can produce superior evidence to the contrary. I beg I beg leave to submit these observations to your considerations; and have the honor to remain, Sir, Your most faithful humble servant, And. Coltee Ducarel. Doctors Commons, Jan. 5, 1771.