According to a recent YouGov poll, Honeydew Melons are Britain’s 24th most popular fruit. 300 years ago, Peckham may have been one of the earliest places to grow melons for ravenous Londoners.
Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a Peckham with orchards and rows of fields. But its agricultural past remains embedded in one place in particular; Melon Road.
The road name belies an intriguing past when Peckham grew melons in abundance, carting them off to 17th-century London’s most illustrious customers, including King Charles I himself.
What’s in a name?
Melon Road, opposite the Peckham High Street Burger King, used to be part of the Manor of Basing.
A sub-manor of Peckham, it was ruled by the wealthy Basing family from around the time of King John, in 1212.
By the 17th century, Peckham was famous for its arable land, a place where fruit and veg were easily grown and carted off to the markets of Inner and South London.
Intriguingly, records show that, from at least 1629, melons were being grown in the area.
A Very Brief History of Melon
At this time, melons were a relative newcomer to the British Isles even if parts of Southern Europe had already been enjoying them for millennia.
Archaeological records show melons were present in Sardinia as early as 1350BCE, and spread into mainland Europe with the Western Roman Empire (285 – 476AD).
But it looks like English shores remained bereft of the succulent fruit through this period.
However, exploration of the New World finally meant melons had been domesticated in England by the 16th century.
Peckham farmers were quick to adopt the latest trend, recognising that melons were not only delicious, but a profitable status symbol for wealthy families.
Melon Fit for a King
Records show that, in 1629, Sir Thomas Gardiner, a lawyer and Royalist politician, sent four Peckham melons to King Charles I himself.
Locked in a battle with Parliament over his use of antiquated laws to raise taxes, he would have undoubtedly benefited from melons’ high antioxidant content, associated with reduced depression and anxiety.
In exchange, he sent Sir Thomas Gardiner venison. Given this was a much sought-after meat, it suggests that melons may have made highly-respected table pieces and ingredients at high society dinners.
Seeds of Renewal?
The Manor of Basing existed until about 1812 when the land was subdivided and passed onto different owners meaning the estate was split up.
Today, Peckham is seeing something of an agricultural revival. A Californian woman has revived Peckham Rye Park’s American Garden while gardeners on the Southampton Way Estate are busy growing cucumbers, tomatoes and sweetcorn.
Perhaps there’s hope for another Peckham-grown melon after all.