December 27, 18 S. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
589 
parts of Somersetshire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire are pre¬ 
eminently cider counties. 
The early use of a drink called cider, and the production of 
such immense quantities of that beverage, such as that of 10,000 
hogsheads in one parish—viz., Martock in Somersetshire—are two 
distinct matters. 
Cider, without doubt, is of early origin, and is supposed to have 
been first known in Africa, as it is mentioned by Tertullian and 
Augustine, the two fathers. St. Jerome speaks of an inebriating 
liquor made of the juice of Apples. 
Biscay, long famed for its cider, received it, as is believed, from 
the Carthagenians. A full description of this beverage is given by 
Navagerus, in the journal of his embassy to the Emperor 
Charles V. 
The ancient Britons, like other northern nations, may have 
made an intoxicating liquor from the Sorbus, or Service Tree ; 
and though hardly from the indigenous Crab Apple, yet some 
perhaps from the better kind of Apples introduced by the Romans. 
The Anglo-Saxons distinguished their “ Eppelwin ” from wine 
and mead. 
The Normans probably obtained their cider Apple trees from 
Biscay ; the climate and soil there both favoured their growth. 
To the abbeys of that country we must look for the improvement 
of Apples and cider-making. 
. Near Yalognes, in the Department of La Manche, stood the 
famous abbey of Montebourg. The pcssessions of this abbey 
«x( ended to Dorset and Devon. Besides lands in Axmouth parish 
in south-east Devon, the manor and church given in the reign of 
Henry II., there were also other lands, and a priory in Loders, near 
Bridport, Dorsetshire. 
• Cider was made on the Montebourg lands before the year 
1286. The monks, who possessed nearly all the knowledge that 
prevailed at that era, had introduced upon their estates on this 
side the Channel Apple trees, for the growth of Apples for cider¬ 
making. They had also taught their tenants how to make cider 
according to the approved plan of Normandy, which is still pre¬ 
served in that part of France, in the Norman islands of Guernsey 
and Jersey, and in Herefordshire. 
W. Yillata, of Loders and Bothenhampton, near Bridport, held 
land of the Abbot of Montebourg upon payment of 6s. a-year, and 
upon his finding a horse (ad molendum poma, &c.), to grind the 
Apples in what is now called a horse-mill. 
The skilful monks may have done much towards the improve¬ 
ment of their estates by the introduction of better fruit trees. 
Probably others were not disposed to adopt novelties any more 
than their descendants in the present day. 
The Quarantine Apple is supposed to be a corruption of Carentan 
Apple. Many other names are old names corrupted in the course 
of years. A periwinkle shell-fish is termed a gobbet. It is the 
Norman gobet, a mouthful, as the famous Cherries of the valley of 
Montmorency are now called les bons gobets. 
That cider was made, as before related, in the twelfth century 
cannot be denied ; but not to any great extent, if we institute a 
comparison with the great doings nowadays of cider-making Devon 
and Somerset. 
The Yicar of Dawlish, in the South Hams (now a watering 
place), received, in 1280, one-half the crop of Apples, doubtless 
grown for making cider. 
The word Orchard, or, as it is now pronounced, Orchat, perhaps 
a name given by the monks from Orchatos , has been a fruitful 
source of error. It was not in any sense the orchard of modem 
times. The latter is a space planted with Apple trees of greater 
or less extent, unlike the practice of Normandy and Brittany, where 
pasture and arable land are crossed by rows of Apple trees, and 
where the English practice of planting the trees in one spot with 
grass under them does not obtain. 
The orchard of early reigns was a place laid out with trees, as 
■a pleasure garden for walking, recreation, and sports, having 
arbours, and similar appropriate places. Such a spot, if Apple trees 
prevailed, was called an Apple garden or Apple orchard. 
An Apple garden is spoken of in “ Domesday Book ” as 
■existing at'Nottingham. Horti and Hortuli are frequent in the 
same record. 
The monks of Lewes Priory, Sussex, had in their enclosure of 
thirty-two acres and a half within walls a paradise (park), a garden, 
and an Apple orchard, which felt the effects of a gale, a.d. 1267. 
There were ardent lovers of horticulture among the clergy. 
Upon the extension of a part of Wells Cathedral about the year 
1326, there was a special provision made for the careful preserva¬ 
tion of a certain Medlar tree. Quinces sold in 1292 at 4s. the 100. 
Wycliffe knew of the strength of cider, for he translated the 
passage, Luke i. 15, “ He shal be gret bifore the Lord, and he schal 
not drynke wyne ne sider.” 
One Cottingham, of Seaford, gave a bond, 26th Elizabeth, that | 
while he should continue a tippler he and his household should 
be orderly, and keep no unlawful games or evil rule within his 
house, garden, or orchards during the said time of his tippling— 
i.e., dealing in liquor. In the orchard was doubtless the skittle- 
alley for summer days. 
Butler, in bis “ Hudibras,” gives among other acquirements of 
Sidrophel that he knew— 
“ And in what sign b.s L aider’s made." 
So that in the reign of Charles II,, not only was attention paid to 
the growth of the Apple, but to the making of this fruit into cider 
—an operation of importance enough to be referred to an astrologer, 
then a common practice. 
Apple trees and Pear trees also began to be much cultivated 
about the middle of the seventeenth century. In a pamphlet 
addressed to the well-known Samuel Hartlib, Esq., a.d. 1657, entitled 
“ Herefordshire Orchards, a Pattern for all England,” it is asserted 
that Gennet-moyles bear every other year, and make the best cider. 
Mordicant, or sharp cider, pleased the peasant or working man, as 
was the case in France. 
In Herefordshire few cottagers, and even few of the wealthiest 
yeomen, taste any other drink in the family but cider, except at 
some special festivals twice or thrice in a year, and that for variety 
rather than for choice. 
The credit of cider had of late years much advanced in the 
estimation of the best gentry, who had sought out the right method 
of ripening and hoarding the choicest fruits, and some also of 
bottling it. 
“ Bat I am confident,” the writer adds, “ that much more may 
be added to the perfection of it, when they shall also apply to it 
the due subtleties of the mysterious art of fermentation.” 
Each cultivator bestowed greater attention, having proved 
that— 
'■ Else falsi hopes 
He cfce-ishfs, nor will his fruit exp-ct 
TV autumnal season but in summer’s pride, 
When other orchats smile abortive fail.” 
Philips, Cider, Book i. 
Wassailing the orchards on New Year's Eve is called in Sussex 
and those parts “ Apple Howling ” from the words used :—• 
“ Stand fast, root; bear wel 1 , top ; 
Pray the God Bend us a grod howling crop,” &o. 
Hence the entries in former centuries of 1 money given to the 
“ howling boys ” may be understood. 
Hooker, in his MS. survey, records that the Apple was cultivated 
in Devonshire so early as 1520. He must mean begun to be grown 
for the purposes of cider. He continues, “ but in the beginning of 
the following century it received more attention.” 
So long as the narrow lanes served to keep up the communica¬ 
tion between the principal towns, and pack-horses did all the work, 
there being no carts, how could cider in hogsheads have been sent 
about the country? It could not have been sent to any great 
distance. 
The absence of the mention of cider up to a certain peiiod in 
borough archives is very remarkable. In accompts, where every 
halfpenny is carefully set down ; in dinners of the most homely 
kind, and feasts, such as the Cobb Ale at Lyme, and the feast at 
Ford House ; in a dinner to Charles I., altogether (for the country) 
very sumptuous up to this period referred to, and which required 
to be specified, there is no mention of cider ; then cider takes its 
place with ale and beer, and furnishes an item in every accompt 
for refreshment or festive enjoyment at table of the inhabitants of 
boroughs. 
In the detailed presentments of the Hustings’ Book for Lyme 
for the year 1597, of the stealers of wood and pollers of trees for 
fuel, appears this entry :— 
Item, they present George Browne’s foo, Hoode’s son, and Thomas 
Sampford’s boy to break into men’s orchards and steal Apples. 
Whether these were Apples for the table or for cider matters 
little after what has been written above, as no cider is mentioned 
in the archives for 110 years. 
In 1629, Apples were cultivated in Massachusetts from seed 
imported from England by order of the Governor and Company of 
the colony. Governor’s Island, in Boston harbour, was given to 
Governor Winthrop in 1632 on condition that he should plant an 
orchard upon it. 
A hogshead of Somersetshire cider was brought to Mr. Richards, 
near Dorchester, a.d. 1699, upon the occasion of England and 
Scotland being united into one kingdom ; a hogshead of cider was 
given by the Corporation of Lyme to the soldiers at a cost of 25s. 
° Wine, beer, and cider were given away at Minchinhampton upon 
the accession of King George in 1714. 
