Chichester Elm
Encyclopedia
The Chichester Elm is the original Ulmus × hollandica 'Vegeta', but suffered confusion with the later Huntingdon Elm
hybrid by Loudon
, which he also accorded the epithet
'Vegeta' as he found the two cultivars indistinguishable from each other . The cultivar was cloned at the beginning of the 18th century from a tree growing at Chichester Hall, Rawreth
, near Danbury
, in Essex
, England
, then the home of Thomas Holt White FRS, brother of the naturalist Gilbert White
.
originally identified the tree as 'a smooth leaf Wych Elm'
to the Chelsea Physic Garden
; Buddle held a living at North Fambridge
, not far from Rawreth . Adam Holt, relative of Thomas Holt, distributed the elms nationwide in the 1720s . Chichester Elms were known to have been marketed in 1801 by nurseryman George Lindley, father of the eminent botanist Professor John Lindley
FRS , at Norwich
. The origin of the connexion with Norwich is not known, nor is the origin of the claimed source of the tree in later 19th century catalogues as 'North America'. The tree is known to have been marketed in Australia
in the early 20th century by the former Gembrook Nursery, but no examples are known to survive. There is no record of the tree's introduction to North America
.
, where two are 44 m in height (2009), or annual inoculation with fungicide, as at Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich
. Chichester Elms were planted at Woburn Abbey
in the 1730s by Thomas Holt, who was agent for the estate, and are recorded in photographs in Arboretum Woburnense (1915); they no longer survive.
NB: The Queens' College elms are to be propagated in 2009 from cuttings by the National Trust
as part of its Plant Conservation Programme.
.
Huntingdon Elm
Ulmus × hollandica Mill. Vegeta Lindley , sometimes known as the Huntingdon Elm, is an old English cultivar raised at Brampton, near Huntingdon by nurserymen Wood & Ingram in 1746, allegedly from seed collected from an Ulmus × hollandica hybrid at nearby Hinchingbrooke Park...
hybrid by Loudon
John Claudius Loudon
John Claudius Loudon was a Scottish botanist, garden and cemetery designer, author and garden magazine editor.-Background:...
, which he also accorded the epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
'Vegeta' as he found the two cultivars indistinguishable from each other . The cultivar was cloned at the beginning of the 18th century from a tree growing at Chichester Hall, Rawreth
Rawreth
Rawreth is situated between Wickford and Rayleigh.The area is mainly agricultural, sparsely populated and with a small amount of industry.Historically, most of the farmhouses in Rawreth were moated manors, many of which survive today....
, near Danbury
Danbury, Essex
Danbury is a village in Essex, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross, London and has a population of 6,500. It is situated on a hill above sea level.-Origins:The village was built on the site of a megalithic hill fort noted for its oval shape....
, in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, then the home of Thomas Holt White FRS, brother of the naturalist Gilbert White
Gilbert White
Gilbert White FRS was a pioneering English naturalist and ornithologist.-Life:White was born in his grandfather's vicarage at Selborne in Hampshire. He was educated at the Holy Ghost School and by a private tutor in Basingstoke before going to Oriel College, Oxford...
.
Description
A very tall tree, with foliage similar to that of the Huntingdon Elm. The Rev. Adam BuddleAdam Buddle
Adam Buddle was an English cleric and botanist.Born at Deeping St James, a small village near Peterborough, Buddle was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he gained a BA in 1681, and an MA four years later. Buddle was eventually ordained into the Church of England, obtaining a...
originally identified the tree as 'a smooth leaf Wych Elm'
Cultivation
Examples of the tree were presented in 1711 by Adam BuddleAdam Buddle
Adam Buddle was an English cleric and botanist.Born at Deeping St James, a small village near Peterborough, Buddle was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he gained a BA in 1681, and an MA four years later. Buddle was eventually ordained into the Church of England, obtaining a...
to the Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden
The Chelsea Physic Garden was established as the Apothecaries’ Garden in London, England in 1673. It is the second oldest botanical garden in Britain, after the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, which was founded in 1621.Its rock garden is the oldest English garden devoted to alpine plants...
; Buddle held a living at North Fambridge
North Fambridge
North Fambridge is a village and civil parish on the Dengie peninsula in the English county of Essex.North Fambridge is on the north bank of the River Crouch opposite South Fambridge and is served by North Fambridge railway station on the Crouch Valley Line...
, not far from Rawreth . Adam Holt, relative of Thomas Holt, distributed the elms nationwide in the 1720s . Chichester Elms were known to have been marketed in 1801 by nurseryman George Lindley, father of the eminent botanist Professor John Lindley
John Lindley
John Lindley FRS was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist.-Early years:Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley was a nurseryman and pomologist and ran a commercial nursery garden...
FRS , at Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. The origin of the connexion with Norwich is not known, nor is the origin of the claimed source of the tree in later 19th century catalogues as 'North America'. The tree is known to have been marketed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the early 20th century by the former Gembrook Nursery, but no examples are known to survive. There is no record of the tree's introduction to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Notable trees
Notable examples survive, either courtesy of their isolation from diseased stock, as at Queens' College, CambridgeQueens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, where two are 44 m in height (2009), or annual inoculation with fungicide, as at Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. Chichester Elms were planted at Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
in the 1730s by Thomas Holt, who was agent for the estate, and are recorded in photographs in Arboretum Woburnense (1915); they no longer survive.
NB: The Queens' College elms are to be propagated in 2009 from cuttings by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
as part of its Plant Conservation Programme.
Etymology
The tree was almost certainly named for Chichester Hall, whence it originated. The epithet 'Vegeta' was bestowed by John Lindley in 1823 in Hortus Cantabrigiensis, whose title authorship lists the long - dead DonnJames Donn
James Donn was an English botanist. He was Curator of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, Cambridge, from 1790 until his death. His most important work was Hortus Cantabrigensis, first published in 1796 but with several later, much expanded, editions.A grandson was the English composer...
.
Synonymy
- U. campestris var. Cicestria: W. A. & J. Mackie, Norwich, Catalogue, 1812, p.59.
- U. cestria : George Lindley , Norwich, catalogue, 1801.
- U. cicestriensis : George Lindley, Norwich, catalogue, 1815.
Europe
- Brighton & HoveBrighton & HoveBrighton and Hove is a unitary authority area and city on the south coast of England. It is England's most populous seaside resort.In 1997 Brighton and Hove were joined to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, which was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the millennium...
City Council, UK, NCCPG Elm Collection http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1108042. - Cambridge Botanic Garden http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/, University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, UK. No accession details available. - Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
. Acc. no. 19699364