MEM25632 - Conigar Orchard (Monument)

The name Conigar implies that this area of land was used for rabbit production during the medieval period, with this development likely taking place under the landownership of Sir Nigel Loring, who was granted the right from Edward III to "empark" his lands in 1366. The earliest reference to orchards in Porlock dates to the early 17th century but this is likely a later creation. [1] It is marked as an orchard on the 1841 tithe map, as part of lands belonging to Court House Farm, then owned by the Blathwayt family. The tenant for the orchard at this time is listed as James Widlake (1787-1845). Neighbouring plots are also described as being orchards and/or gardens. The name of this plot is listed as "Conygear Orchard" referencing the early name and function of the land parcel. [2] By the time of the creation of the 1868 OS Map, the orchard had expanded to a plot of c. 6.5-7 acres, although by 1921 it was reduced to its current size. [3] In 1902 part of the orchard was sold by the Blathwayts to Thomas Pearce, a tanner, who developed properties on the neighbouring lands which are now rows of cottages and associated gardens. In 1911, his son, Thomas Taylor Pearce, married the elder sister of Herbert Marley, a wealthy tea planter, who purchased the remaining part of the orchard from the Blathwayts seemingly on behalf of his father John. On John's death, the woodland and orchard were sold, and although there is no clear record of the initial sale, they were later established to be in the ownership of Cecil Westcott. Westcott was an entrepreneurial character who left his family farm to run a fishmonger's in Porlock, before developing a successful sideline in dealing in whortleberries collected on Exmoor. Westcott put the orchard to work not only through improvement of its apple crop with new varieties and planting, but also through the development of the ground crop of daffodils, both in terms of flowers and bulbs for sale. [1, ibid]