Sweet Chestnut
Both horse chestnut and sweet chestnut trees are common throughout the UK, though the former is presently under attack from moths, bleeding canker, drought and leaf blotch fungus. Like oak and beech, to which it is botanically related, the sweet chestnut can grow to a height of 30 metres (for basic information about the tree, see the Woodlands “Guide to Tree Identification”).
Sweet chestnut is not thought to be a native tree. Pollen analysis indicates that it was not present before Roman times. So why did the Romans introduce the tree ? There have been various suggestions.
For its fruit. The nuts formed an important part of the Roman diet (roasted or ground for flour). However, the nuts from UK trees are smaller than those from Italy or Spain.
For firewood. Sweet chestnut is quick growing and coppices would provide material for firewood. However, the wood is not noted for burning well or giving off great heat. (Surely the Romans would have used a native tree like ash ?)
For making charcoal. Charcoal was extensively used for working with metals (tin, copper, iron etc) for example, in the Forest of Dean. Did the Romans introduce a new species just for charcoal production? Iron production was quite extensive in the 1st Century AD, so perhaps a ‘new’ fast growing species helped.
For use in the vineyards. Sweet chestnut stakes could be used to support the growing vines (as the wood is rich in tannins it would not rot too quickly when stood in soil). Perhaps, the answer lies in the fact that the tree could be used for all of these things – the wood was versatile.
Since Roman times, the tree and its wood have been put to other uses. With the development of hop farming (from the 1550’s onwards), the wood was used to make hop poles (derived from coppices on a 10-12 year rotation). More recently chestnut paling fencing has found favour as it creates a fence that will last for some twenty or more years. Other uses include trug making. The handle and rim are made from Sweet Chestnut whereas the boards and feet are prepared from willow. Cladding and decking products can also be made from sweet chestnut timber - see the blog on the Inwood Chestnut Centre.
For lots more information on the Sweet Chestnut, its history and uses read Chris Howkins’ book “Sweet Chestnut – history, landscape, people”.
Leave a comment
Badgers, Beeches and Blisters
A book about the practicalities of managing your own woodland. Available free here.
2 comments so far
Tracy Pepler
11 April, 2008
Chris Howkins book is really good!
Some Common Botanical Terms | The Woodlands.co.uk Blog
2 May, 2008
[…] Archaeophytes are ‘ancient introductions’, plants that were introduced (accidentally or deliberately) by humans before 1500 AD. Ancient introductions are plants like poppies (Papaver sp), which came in with crop seeds, whilst other species might have been introduced for medicinal or other uses. Many are now are now thought of as part of our flora, such as the Sweet Chestnut. […]