Great Somerford allotments feature on Gardeners' Question Time (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Great Somerford allotments feature on Gardeners' Question Time

2:30pm Wednesday 11th March 2009

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CELEBRITY gardeners Chris Beardshaw and Bob Flowerdew are in Malmesbury on Monday for a special edition of Gardeners’ Question Time marking the 200th anniversary of England’s oldest allotments.

The highly prized plots of land at Great Somerford were established in 1809 at the time of the enclosures when many poor rural folk lost their strip-farmed fields.

Nearly 100 allotments were provided on six acres at the insistence of local rector Stephen Demainbray.

As Britain struggled to feed itself during the Second World War virtually every plot was used, but vegetable growing fell into decline with the advent of supermarkets and car ownership.

Now new plots are appearing every week as people take up gardening again.

The anniversary will be marked with the planting of a tree before the show is recorded at Malmesbury School.

A book detailing the history of the allotments has also been produced. The Poor Man’s Best Friend – The Story of the Great Somerford Allotments is available at the village shop from Monday.

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