Capturing Cambridge
  • search
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Watercress beds on The Moor, Fowlmere c.1880 (photo J Bishop)(MoC349/75)

Fowlmere Watercress beds / RSPB Reserve

History of the watercress beds

Vanishing Cambridgeshire p.109 contains extracts from publications describing the watercress industry:

Large beds of watercress have been laid down at Fowlmere where water is raised by a dam to spread over the low-lying land. An industry of some dimensions has grown up and there is a growing demand from London. (CDN 22.5.1905)

Watercress beds west of Fowlmere OS map 1901

In the late 1930s about ten men were employed full time with another three being taken on at busy periods. There were also six women who bunched up the cress. Lorries loaded with wicker baskets full of cress went to London’s Covent Garden Market. … The main cress beds ceased production after the 1950s although W Hallworth was still supplying the markets and the village in 1965. (L W Price, Foulmire Moor and Fowlmere RSPB reserve, 1994)

RSPB Fowlmere

Fowlmere RSPB (RGL Oct 2022)

Fowlmere RSPB (Oct 2022)

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

Dear Visitor,

 

Thank you for exploring historical Cambridgeshire! We hope you enjoy your visit.

 

Did you know that we are a small, independent Museum and that we rely on donations from people like you to survive?

 

If you love Capturing Cambridge, and you are able to, we’d appreciate your support today.

 

Every donation makes a world of difference.

 

Thank you,

The Museum of Cambridge