The Master’s Garden
Our historic garden, enclosed by the ancient town wall of Warwick, has been cultivated for five centuries.
In 1571, Robert Dudley was gifted his “hospital” “with orchard and garden” and declared it should be a “greensward for recreation.”
The Master and Brethren were allocated strips to grow their fruits and vegetables that were cooked in Brethren’s Kitchen commons.
“each man has a strip of ground to grow his vegetables. “Ye see these ‘ere posts,” says the old soldier, leaning on his stick as he talks; “every one on us ‘as from this ‘ere path to t ’other side. The last man as comes in ‘as the strip at the top, and ‘e works ‘is way down till ‘e gets alongside o’ the Master’s. This ‘ere strip is the Master’s; ‘e never moves. The next is mine.”
A Visit to Warwick, The Stratford-upon-Avon Herald 2nd November 1883