The Ascott Martyrs were 16 women from the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire , England who were imprisoned in 1873 for their role in founding a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers .
108-573: The National Union of Agricultural Workers was founded in Warwickshire in 1872, led by the Primitive Methodist preacher Joseph Arch . Support spread to other parts of the country, and in 1873 the men of Ascott-under-Wychwood formed a branch of the new union. Mr Hambidge of Crown Farm, Ascott sacked his men who had joined the union and employed men from the neighbouring village of Ramsden as strikebreakers . The women of Ascott tried to persuade
216-483: A 10 kg (22 lb) yield for a 10-year-old tree is a reliable conservative estimate, though some exceptional specimens of that age have yielded 100 kg (220 lb). So, most producers earn less than $ 5,000 per year, with a third of them not having sold anything so far. Moreover, the plantings have so far been mostly of Chinese species, but the products are not readily available. The American Chestnut Foundation in collaboration with many partners ( SUNY ESF ,
324-550: A cannery in Holland included in its "vegetables-and-meat" ready-cooked combinations, a "chestnuts and sausages" casserole beside the more classic "beef and onions" and "green peas and veal". This celebrated the chestnut culture that would bring whole villages out in the woods for three weeks each autumn (and keep them busy all winter), and deplored the lack of food diversity in the United States's shop shelves. Soon after that, however,
432-647: A child of 7 months and Mary Pratley had a child of 10 weeks. Being transported on a cold night with no warm clothing, the women did their best to protect the babies with umbrellas. The rest of the women's children were cared for by neighbours and the Milton-under-Wychwood branch of the Union, while the women were imprisoned. The local community remained furious at the treatment of the women, leading to questions being asked in Parliament and nationwide newspaper coverage of
540-514: A crowd of 1,000 people had surrounded the Police Court . They tried fruitlessly to free the women, breaking street lamps and windows. The violence continued for two hours. The women were kept in two dark rooms until 1am. When police were satisfied the crowds had scattered and reinforcements had arrived from Oxford the 16 women were taken on four horse-drawn drays to Oxford Prison . Two of the women had young children with them, Elizabeth Pratley had
648-477: A division of the kingdom of Mercia in the early 11th century. The first reference to Warwickshire was in 1001, as Wæringscīr, named after Warwick . The prefix wara- is the genitive plural of the Old English noun waru , which means "those that care for, watch, guard, protect, or defend". It was used as an endonym by both Goths and Jutes. The suffix -wick is an Old English cognate ( -wic ) for
756-669: A dress. Following the Ascott Martyrs' time in prison, the Chairman of the Oxford District of the Union investigated the wages and conditions of Ascott farm workers and found that before the Union, wages had been 9 shillings a week in winter and 10 shillings in summer. Following the founding of the Union branch wages were raised by 2 shillings a week, so the women's efforts had clearly been successful. Appointment of clerical magistrates: in spite of public indignation and widespread protest at
864-544: A germ with two cotyledons connected to creamy-white flesh throughout. Some varieties have consistently only one embryo per fruit (nut) or have only one large fruit per burr, well rounded (no flat face). The name of varieties with these characteristics may start with "marron" for example marron de Lyon in France, or Marrone di Mugello in Italy. Chestnut fruit may not exhibit epigeal dormancy. It may germinate right upon falling to
972-552: A heavy, sweet odor that some people find too sweet or unpleasant. Other catkins have these pollen-bearing flowers, but also carry near the twig from which these spring, small clusters of female or fruit-producing flowers. Two or three flowers together form a four-lobed prickly calybium , which ultimately grows completely together to make the brown hull, or husk , covering the fruits. Chestnut flowers are not self-compatible, so two trees are required for pollination . All Castanea species readily hybridize with each other. The fruit
1080-724: A major cycling destination has been bolstered in recent years having hosted a stage of the Women's Tour since 2016 and the Men's Tour of Britain in 2018 and 2019. In 2022, St Nicholas Park in Warwick hosted the Elite Men's and Women's Road Race as part of the Commonwealth Games that took place in Birmingham. Warwickshire has no Football League clubs. As of the 2022–23 season, the highest-placed team
1188-624: A mixture of verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning multiple-choice questions. Warwickshire contains four colleges of further education: North Warwickshire & Hinckley College , King Edward VI Sixth Form College (K.E.G.S) in Nuneaton, Stratford-upon-Avon College and the Warwickshire College Group an institution made up of six main separate colleges that have merged (Leamington Centre, Rugby Centre, Moreton Morrell Centre, Pershore College, Henley-in-Arden Centre and
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#17328594771701296-423: A population of 571,010. After Nuneaton (88,813), the largest settlements are Rugby (78,125), Leamington Spa (50,923), Warwick (37,267), Bedworth (31,090) and Stratford-upon-Avon (30,495). For local government purposes, Warwickshire is a non-metropolitan county with five districts. The county historically included the city of Coventry and the area to its west, including Sutton Coldfield , Solihull and
1404-402: A relatively low initial investment; this is a factor in the small size of the present production operations, with half of them being between 3 and 10 acres (12,000 and 40,000 m ). Another determining factor in the small productivity of the sector is that most orchards have been created less than 10 years ago, so have young trees which are as now barely entering commercial production. Assuming
1512-622: A significant part of Birmingham , including the city centre . Warwickshire is a flat, lowland county, but its far south contains part of the Cotswolds AONB . The River Avon , a major tributary of the Severn , flows through the south of the county. The region was part of Roman Britain and later the Roman road called Watling Street became the boundary between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and
1620-494: A single area and share a single Chamber of Commerce , Local Enterprise Partnership and BBC Local Radio Station ( BBC Coventry & Warwickshire ). Coventry was administered separately from the rest of Warwickshire between 1451 and 1842. It formed the County of the City of Coventry , a county corporate from 1451. In 1842 the county corporate of Coventry was abolished and remerged with
1728-534: A small campus near Wellesbourne which houses the Warwick Horticultural Research Centre and an Innovation Centre. Several major motorways run through Warwickshire; these are: Other major trunk routes in Warwickshire include: Two main railway lines pass through Warwickshire: Other railway lines in Warwickshire include: Between 1965 and 2018, the only major town in Warwickshire without
1836-684: A song from the Goryeo period. Gongju , one of Baekje 's former capitals, is renowned for its chestnuts, with an annual chestnut festival that takes place in the winter. In the Samgukji(Records Of The Three Kingdoms) , a book that was compiled during the Jin dynasty about the Three Kingdoms , chestnuts are used in the description of Mahan, the former land of Baekje. In the Philippines ,
1944-712: A staple food in southern Europe, Turkey, and southwestern and eastern Asia for millennia, largely replacing cereals where these would not grow well, if at all, in mountainous Mediterranean areas. Evidence of its cultivation by humans is found since around 2000 BC. Alexander the Great and the Romans planted chestnut trees across Europe while on their various campaigns. A Greek army is said to have survived their retreat from Asia Minor in 401–399 BC thanks to their stores of chestnuts. Ancient Greeks, such as Dioscorides and Galen, wrote of chestnuts to comment on their medicinal properties—and of
2052-545: A station was Kenilworth . The Leamington to Coventry line passes through the town, but the station was closed as part of the Beeching cuts . Kenilworth railway station was rebuilt and opened in April 2018, with an hourly service to Coventry and to Leamington provided by West Midlands Trains . The new High Speed 2 (HS2) line is a long-distance route that is being constructed through Warwickshire; however, there will be no stations in
2160-560: A strong and growing economy with the automotive industry being a major contributor. In the north, BMW's Hams Hall plant employs over 1,000 people, while Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda have headquarters, including a giant advanced production creation centre, at Gaydon in the south. Warwickshire is also establishing a growing reputation as a global hub of the video game industry . One of Britain's oldest still-running game studios, Codemasters , has operated out of Southam for decades;
2268-465: A £130 million UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) based in Coventry. Tourism is also a key area of employment with country parks, rural areas and historic towns across the county. It generates a total business turnover of over £1 billion to the local economy and supports almost 20,000 jobs. Main Warwickshire towns: Smaller towns and large villages include: Warwickshire came into being as
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#17328594771702376-669: Is Leamington , who play in the National League North , the sixth tier of English football. A level below, in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central, are Nuneaton Borough and Stratford Town . Other clubs include Rugby Town , Bedworth United , Southam United , Racing Club Warwick , Coleshill Town , Atherstone Town and Nuneaton Griff ; all of these are affiliated to the Birmingham FA . Chestnut The chestnuts are
2484-444: Is frost -tender; bud -burst is later than most other fruit trees, so late frosts can be damaging to young buds. Trees can be found at altitudes between 200 and 1000 m above sea level; some mention between 300 and 750 m altitude, while the famous Hundred Horse Chestnut on Mount Etna stands at 1200 metres. They can tolerate maritime exposure, although growth is reduced. Seeds germinate in late winter or early spring, but
2592-426: Is a hard, shiny, brown outer hull or husk , called the pericarpus; the industry calls this the "peel". Underneath the pericarpus is another, thinner skin, called the pellicle or episperm. The pellicle closely adheres to the seed itself, following the grooves usually present at the surface of the fruit. These grooves are of variable sizes and depths according to the species and variety. The fruit inside these shows
2700-620: Is always served at Christmas and New Year's time. In Modena , Italy, they are soaked in wine before roasting and serving, and are also traditionally eaten on Saint Simon's Day in Tuscany . In the Romagna region, roasted chestnuts are often served with a traditional wine, the Cagnina di Romagna . It is traditional to eat roasted chestnuts in Portugal on St. Martin's Day . Their popularity declined during
2808-511: Is at the modern village of Keramidi . The town probably took its name, though, from the trees growing around it. In the Mediterranean climate zone, chestnut trees are rarer in Greece because the chalky soil is not conducive to the tree's growth. Kastania is located on one of the relatively few sedimentary or siliceous outcrops. They grow so abundantly there that their presence would have determined
2916-517: Is based in Edgbaston , in Birmingham, observe the historic county boundaries. The flag of the historic county was registered in October 2016. It is a design of a bear and ragged staff on a red field, which is long associated with the county. Coventry is effectively in the centre of the Warwickshire area, and still has strong ties with the county. Coventry and Warwickshire are sometimes treated as
3024-418: Is contained in a spiny (very sharp) cupule 5–11 cm in diameter, also called "bur" or " burr ". The burrs are often paired or clustered on the branch and contain one to seven nuts according to the different species , varieties , and cultivars . Around the time the fruits reach maturity, the burrs turn yellow-brown and split open in two or four sections. They can remain on the tree longer than they hold
3132-657: Is derived from an earlier English term "chesten nut", which descends from the Old French word chastain (Modern French, châtaigne ). The French word in turn derives from Latin Castanea (also the scientific name of the tree), which traces to the Ancient Greek word κάστανον (sweet chestnut). A possible source of the Greek word is the ancient town of Casthanaea in Magnesia . Its location
3240-742: Is low, varying between 5 and 20 mg/(kg·h) depending on the temperature. Most chestnut wood production is done by coppice systems, cut on a 12-year rotation to provide small timber which does not split as badly as large logs. In southern England (particularly in Kent ), sweet chestnut has traditionally been grown as coppices, being recut every 10 years or so on rotation for poles used for firewood, and fencing (fence posts and chestnut paling). An excellent soil-enriching understory in pine forests, sustainable forest management incorporates more mixed plantings of proven efficiency, as opposed to monosylviculture. A study presented in 1997 has evaluated positively
3348-448: Is made of 57 councillors, who decide upon the budget and appoints the council leader. The council leader selects 8 councillors and together they form the cabinet. The Leader assigns portfolios on which cabinet members make decisions. Key decisions are made by the whole cabinet while others are made only by the portfolio holders for relevant areas. In addition many small towns and villages have their own town council or parish council as
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3456-525: Is mildly undulating countryside (rising to 178m / 581 ft near Hartshill ) and the northernmost village, No Man's Heath , is only 34 miles (55 km) south of the Peak District National Park 's southernmost point. The south of the county is largely rural and sparsely populated, and includes a very small area of the Cotswolds , at the border with northeast Gloucestershire. The plain between
3564-522: Is recommended at least during summer and early autumn. Once established, they resist droughts well. In addition to being consumed fresh, chestnuts can also be canned, pureed, or preserved in sugar or syrup ( marrons glacés ). Shelled and cooked nuts should be covered, refrigerated, and used within 3–4 days. Cooked chestnuts, either whole, chopped, or pureed, may be frozen in an airtight container and held up to 9 months. Because of their high water content, transpiration rates, and consequent loss weight,
3672-476: Is required later. The optimum rainfall for chestnut trees is 800 mm (31 in) or more, ideally in even distribution throughout the year. Mulching during summer is recommended. Rainfall below 700 mm (28 in) per year needs be complemented with, for example, a drip irrigation system. This should water the soil at the outer half of the circle formed by the drip line to encourage root growth. Independently from annual rainfall, watering young trees
3780-539: Is the headquarters of the North Warwickshire district, Nuneaton is headquarters of the Nuneaton and Bedworth District and Leamington Spa is the headquarters of the Warwick district. Warwickshire County Council , based in Warwick is elected every four years. The last election was the held on 6 May 2021 and resulted in a Conservative majority. The county council operates a cabinet-style council . The county council
3888-565: Is the likely school of William Shakespeare , Rugby School was founded in 1567 and Warwick School was founded c. 914 AD , which makes it the oldest surviving boys' school in the country. Rugby School is one of nine schools that were defined as the "great" English public schools by the Public Schools Act 1868 , and is a member of the Rugby Group . Rugby School , Princethorpe College and Warwick School are HMC schools, with
3996-691: The Danelaw . The county was relatively settled during the rest of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period; Coventry developed as a major centre of the textiles trade. The playwright William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, living much of his life there, and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was planned near Snitterfield . During the Industrial Revolution, the Warwickshire coalfield
4104-768: The Latin word for village, vicus . Near Warwick are the villages of Long Itchington and Bishop's Itchington along the River Itchen . During the Middle Ages Warwickshire was dominated by Coventry , at the time one of the most important cities in England because of its prominence in the textiles trade. Warwickshire played a key part in the English Civil War , with the Battle of Edgehill and other skirmishes taking place in
4212-505: The Mugello sweet chestnut . It is markedly sweet, peels easily, is not excessively floury or astringent , and has notes of vanilla , hazelnut , and, more subtly, fresh bread. It has no unpleasant aroma, such as yeast , fungus , mold , or paper, which sometimes occur with other chestnuts. The main regions in France for chestnut production are the départements of Ardèche , with the famous "Châtaigne d'Ardèche" (A.O.C) Archived 2012-02-27 at
4320-507: The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government . In the state sector, children start school in the school year in which they turn five. They stay at primary school for seven years (although this varies even within the county, as some people have previously gone for four years and then spent another four years at a 'middle school') until they are eleven. Warwickshire is one of 36 local authorities in England to still maintain
4428-627: The Wayback Machine , of the Var (Eastern Provence), of the Cévennes (Gard and Lozère départements) and of the Lyon region. France annually produces over 1,000 metric tons, but still imports about 8,000 metric tons, mainly from Italy. In Portugal's archipelago of Madeira, chestnut liquor is a traditional beverage, and it is gaining popularity with the tourists and in continental Portugal. Always served as part of
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4536-465: The West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south, and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton and the county town is Warwick . The county is largely rural; it has an area of 763 sq mi (1,980 km ) and
4644-662: The West Midlands County Council was abolished and Birmingham, Coventry, and Solihull became effective unitary authorities . However, the West Midlands county name has not been altogether abolished, and still exists for ceremonial purposes . Since 2016, it has been used as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority , with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. Some organisations, such as Warwickshire County Cricket Club , which
4752-550: The deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus Castanea , in the beech family Fagaceae . The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Chestnut trees are of moderate growth rate (for the Chinese chestnut tree) to fast-growing for American and European species. Their mature heights vary from the smallest species of chinkapins, often shrubby, to
4860-537: The dormant period. Frosts and snowfalls are beneficial rather than harmful to the trees. The dormant plant is very cold-hardy in Britain, to the Royal Horticultural Society 's H6 hardiness rating, to -20 °C. Chestnut is hardy to USDA zone 5 , which is −29 °C (−20 °F) lower in average minimal temperature than London in zone 9 . The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, however,
4968-738: The endemic talakatak or Philippine chestnut ( Castanopsis philippinensis ) is not cultivated commercially, though its nuts are harvested from the wild and consumed locally. Imported chestnuts (known as kastanyas in Tagalog , from Spanish castañas ) are traditionally sold as street food in the Philippines during the Christmas season . Native Americans were eating the American chestnut species, mainly C. dentata and some others, long before European immigrants introduced their stock to America, and before
5076-549: The grammar school system in two districts: Stratford-on-Avon and Rugby. In the final year of primary school, children are given the opportunity of sitting the 11-plus exam to compete for a place at one of the 5 grammar schools: Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls ; King Edward VI School , a boys' school from year 7–11 with a mixed Sixth-Form; Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School for Boys ; Rugby High School for Girls and Alcester Grammar School (mixed). The Warwickshire 11+ selection test consists of two papers, each containing
5184-525: The 'Dandong' chestnut (belonging to the Japanese chestnut C. crenata ) is a major cultivar in Liaoning Province . In South Korea , roasted chestnuts ( gunbam ) are a popular winter snack, and serve as a symbol of abundance in ancestral rituals. Roasted chestnuts are also included in folk songs of Korea , which include " Gunbam Taryeong " , a song that celebrates chestnuts, as well as " Jeongseokga ",
5292-451: The 1850s and 1860s led to the first recorded plantings of European chestnut trees, brought from Europe by settlers. Along the years, most chestnut tree plantations were C. sativa stock, which is still the dominant species. Some of these remain today. Some trees in northern Victoria are around 120 years old and up to 60 m tall. Chestnuts grow well in southwest Western Australia , which has cold winters and warm to hot summers. As of 2008,
5400-542: The American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation and many others from education, research, and industry sectors contributing to the program) are in the last stages of developing a variety that is as close as possible to the American chestnut, while having incorporated the blight-resistant gene of the Asiatic species. Considering the additional advantage that chestnut trees can be easily grown organically, and assuming
5508-531: The American chestnuts is not completely resolved, particularly between the chinkapins ( Castanea ozarkensis and Castanea pumila ), which are sometimes considered to be the same species. Genetics have indicated the California native "golden chinkapin" ( Chrysolepis chrysophylla ) is worthy of inclusion in a different genus along with a species from Coastal China. There is also another chestnut, Castanea alabamensis , which may be its own species. The name "chestnut"
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#17328594771705616-635: The American chestnuts were nearly wiped out by chestnut blight. The discovery of the blight fungus on some Asian chestnut trees planted on Long Island , New York , was made public in 1904. Within 40 years, the nearly four billion-strong American chestnut population in North America was devastated; only a few clumps of trees remained in Michigan, Wisconsin, California , and the Pacific Northwest . Due to disease, American chestnut wood almost disappeared from
5724-425: The Headmaster from each school attending the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . There are no universities per se in Warwickshire, though the University of Warwick forms part of the border with Warwickshire on the southern edge of the city of Coventry. Some areas of the University of Warwick are within the boundaries of Warwickshire including Lakeside Village and Warwick Business School The university has
5832-568: The Lark Stoke or Sutton Coldfield TV transmitters. BBC Local Radio for the county is served by BBC CWR which broadcast from its studios in Coventry . However, the North Warwickshire area is served by BBC Radio WM . County-wide commercial radio stations are Capital Mid-Counties , Hits Radio Coventry & Warwickshire , Fresh (Coventry & Warwickshire) , Heart West Midlands and Greatest Hits Radio Midlands . Warwickshire's rural roads, canal towpaths and historic towns are increasingly popular with cycling enthusiasts. Its reputation as
5940-419: The New Year's menu in Japan, chestnuts represent both success and hard times—mastery and strength. The Japanese chestnut ( kuri ) was in cultivation before rice and the Chinese chestnut ( C. mollissima ) possibly for 2,000 to 6,000 years. During British colonial rule in the mid-1700s to 1947, the sweet chestnut, C. sativa , was widely introduced in the temperate parts of the Indian subcontinent , mainly in
6048-627: The Ramsden men to join the Union and deter them from working for Mr Hambidge. The women were arrested and taken to Chipping Norton where on 20 May 1873 they were charged with "obstructing and coercing John Hodgkins and John Miller with a view to inciting them to leave their employment". Revd T. Harris and Revd W. E. Carter, the two magistrates , heard the case. They asked Mr Hambidge, the farmer not to proceed with prosecution, but he insisted on pressing charges. The women considered to be ringleaders, not defended by counsel, were sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour , seven of them for 10 days, and nine of
6156-471: The Trident Centre in Warwick). There are also six independent senior schools within the county, namely: Rugby School , Warwick School , Princethorpe College , Kingsley School , Arnold Lodge School (both in Leamington Spa ), and the King's High School For Girls (in Warwick ). A number of the Warwickshire grammar and independent schools have historical significance. King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon still uses 13th century school buildings and
6264-407: The US imports are from Southern Italy , with the large, meaty, and richly flavored Sicilian chestnuts being considered among the best quality for bulk sale and supermarket retail. Some imports come from Portugal and France. The next two largest sources of imports are China and South Korea. The French varieties of marrons are highly favored and sold at high prices in gourmet shops. As of 2024,
6372-411: The United States imports 7.5 million pounds of non-organic chestnuts per year. A study of the sector in 2005 found that U.S. producers are mainly part-timers diversifying an existing agricultural business, or hobbyists. Another recent study indicates that investment in a new plantation takes 13 years to break even, at least within the current Australian market. Starting a small-scale operation requires
6480-438: The West Midlands county in 1974 and are now metropolitan authorities in themselves. According to the 2011 United Kingdom census , the largest towns (+20,000 pop.) in Warwickshire were: Nuneaton (pop. 81,900), Rugby (70,600), Leamington Spa (49,500), Bedworth (32,500), Warwick (30,100), Stratford (25,500) and Kenilworth (22,400) Much of western Warwickshire, including the area now forming part of Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham,
6588-425: The arrival of chestnut blight . In some places, such as the Appalachian Mountains , one-quarter of hardwoods were chestnuts. Mature trees often grew straight and branch-free for 50 ft (15 m), up to 100 ft, averaging up to 5 ft in diameter. For three centuries, most barns and homes east of the Mississippi River were made from it. In 1911, the food book The Grocer's Encyclopedia noted that
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#17328594771706696-501: The chestnut oak ( Quercus prinus ) and the American beech ( Fagus grandifolia ), both of which are also in the Fagaceae family. Brazil nuts , called "Brasil chestnuts" ( castañas de Brasil in Spanish) or "chestnuts from Pará" ( castanha-do-Pará in Portuguese) are also unrelated. Chestnuts belong to the family Fagaceae , which also includes oaks and beeches . The four main species groups are commonly known as American, European, Chinese, and Japanese chestnuts. The taxonomy of
6804-407: The chestnut tree is practically the sole subsistence of our highlanders", while in 1879 it was said that it almost exclusively fed whole populations for half the year, as "a temporary but complete substitution for cereals". In Britain, boundary records compiled in the reign of King John already showed the famous Tortworth Chestnut in South Gloucestershire , as a landmark; it was also known by
6912-584: The cold in their first winter, and also from mice and squirrels . Chestnuts are considered self-sterile, so at least two trees are needed for pollination. Castanea grows best in a soil with good drainage and adequate moisture. The tree prefers sloping, deep soils; it does not like shallow or heavy soils with impermeable, clay subsoils . The Chinese chestnut prefers a fertile, well-drained soil, but it grows well in fairly dry, rocky, or poor soils. Although Castanea can grow in very acidic soil, and while these soils are reasonably well tolerated,
7020-413: The country has nearly 350 growers, annually producing around 1,200 metric tons of chestnuts, of which 80% come from northeast Victoria . The produce is mostly sold to the domestic fresh fruit market. Chestnuts are slowly gaining popularity in Australia. A considerable increase in production is expected in the next 10 years, due to the increase in commercial plantings during the last 15 to 25 years. By far,
7128-582: The county. During the Industrial Revolution Warwickshire became one of Britain's foremost industrial counties, with the large industrial cities of Birmingham and Coventry within its boundaries. Like most English shire counties, Warwickshire has a two-tier local government of a county council , and five districts each having a district or borough council. These districts are: North Warwickshire , Nuneaton and Bedworth , Rugby , Stratford , and Warwick (see map). The county and district councils are responsible for providing different services. Atherstone
7236-419: The county. It will pass south of Southam , then between Kenilworth and Coventry, before running into the West Midlands towards Birmingham. Coventry Airport is located in the Warwickshire village of Baginton . Canals and navigable waterways in Warwickshire include: The county is covered by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central from its studios in Birmingham . Television signals are received from either
7344-402: The development of brands in the market and everything else being equal, home-grown products would reach higher prices than imports, the high volume of which indicates a market with expanding prospects. As of 2008, the price for chestnuts sold fresh in the shell ranges from $ 1.50/lb ($ 3.30/kg) wholesale to about $ 5/lb ($ 11/kg) retail, depending mainly on the size. The Australian gold rush of
7452-410: The disease-immune Asiatic species. Efforts started in the 1930s are still ongoing to repopulate the country with these trees, in Massachusetts and many places elsewhere in the United States. In the 1970s, geneticist Charles Burnham began back-breeding Asian chestnut into American chestnut populations to confer blight resistance with the minimum difference in genes. In the 1950s, the Dunstan chestnut
7560-437: The district and borough councils who commissioned their own report, which argued in favour of Warwickshire being split into two unitary authorities, one for the north of the county, covering the current districts of North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby, and one for the south of the county, covering Warwick and Stratford districts. In September 2020, it was agreed that both proposals would be sent for consideration to
7668-400: The events. A popular story later developed that Queen Victoria pardoned the women, and presented them each with a red-flannel petticoat and 5 shillings , but there is no evidence for this. The Home Secretary, however, agreed a 'conditional pardon' to remit the hard labour element of the sentence, sending a telegram to the Oxford prison governor. ' I have advised Her Majesty to remit that part of
7776-558: The flatulence induced by eating too much of it. To the early Christians, chestnuts symbolized chastity . Until the introduction of the potato , whole forest-dwelling communities which had scarce access to wheat flour relied on chestnuts as their main source of carbohydrates . In some parts of Italy, a cake made of chestnuts is used as a substitute for potatoes. In 1583, Charles Estienne and Jean Liébault wrote, "an infinity of people live on nothing else but (the chestnut)". In 1802, an Italian agronomist said of Tuscany that "the fruit of
7884-545: The fruit was a local staple food in the early 17th century. These synonyms are or have been in use: Fagus Castanea (used by Linnaeus in first edition of Species Plantarum , 1753), Sardian nut, Jupiter's nut, husked nut, and Spanish chestnut (U.S.). The tree is noted for attracting wildlife. The nuts are an important food for jays , pigeons , wild boar , deer, and squirrels . American and Chinese chinquapins ( C. pumila and C. henryi ) have very small nuts that are an important source of food for wildlife. It has been
7992-464: The fruit, but more often achieve complete opening and release the fruits only after having fallen on the ground; opening is partly due to soil humidity . The chestnut fruit has a pointed end with a small tuft at its tip (called "flame" in Italian ), and at the other end, a hilum – a pale brown attachment scar. In many varieties, the fruit is flattened on one or two sides. It has two skins. The first one
8100-693: The giant of past American forests, C. dentata that could reach 60 metres (200 feet). Between these extremes are found the Japanese chestnut ( C. crenata ) at 10 m average; followed by the Chinese chestnut ( C. mollissima ) at about 15 m , then the European chestnut ( C. sativa ) around 30 m . The Chinese and more so the Japanese chestnuts are both often multileadered and wide-spreading, whereas European and especially American species tend to grow very erect when planted among others, with little tapering of their columnar trunks , which are firmly set and massive. When standing on their own, they spread on
8208-402: The governor of Genoa , which dominated Corsica , ordered all the farmers and landowners to plant four trees yearly, among which was a chestnut tree – plus olive , fig and mulberry trees. Many communities owe their origin and former richness to the ensuing chestnut woods. In France, the marron glacé , a candied chestnut involving 16 different processes in a typically French cooking style,
8316-463: The greater " Silicon Spa " area, including Southam, Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick , is now home to dozens of game studios which employ a combined total of over 2,000 highly skilled people, equating to more than 10% of the UK's games development workforce. Increasingly the region is establishing itself as one of the leading areas in battery technology with major developments announced in 2021 that include
8424-631: The ground in the autumn, with the roots emerging from the seed right away and the leaves and stem the following spring. The germ can lose viability soon after ripening and under drying conditions. The superior fruiting varieties among European chestnuts have good size, sweet taste, and easy-to-remove inner skins. American chestnuts are usually very small (around 5 g ), but sweet-tasting with easy-to-remove pellicles. Some Japanese varieties have very large nuts (around 40 g ), with typically difficult-to-remove pellicles. Chinese chestnut pellicles are usually easy to remove, and their sizes vary greatly according to
8532-559: The huge reforestation efforts started in the 1930s in the United States to establish varieties of C. sativa which may be resistant to chestnut blight, as well as to relieve the strain on cereal supplies. The main region in Italy for chestnut production is the Mugello region ; in 1996, the European Community granted the fruit Protected Geographic Indication (equivalent to the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée ) status to
8640-410: The last few centuries, partly due to their reputation of "food for poor people". Many people did not want to take chestnut bread as " bread " because chestnut flour does not rise. Some slandered chestnut products in such words as the bread which "gives a sallow complexion" written in 1770, or in 1841 "this kind of mortar which is called a soup". The last decades' worldwide renewal may have profited from
8748-504: The life length is short. If kept moist, they can be stored in a cool place for a few months, but must be checked regularly for signs of germination. Low temperature prolongs dormancy. Sowing them as soon as ripe is better, either in cold frames or seedbeds outdoors, where they can be left in situ for one to two years before being planted in their permanent positions, or in pots, where the plants can be put out into their permanent positions in summer or autumn. They must be protected from
8856-592: The lower to middle Himalayas . They are widely found in British-founded hill stations in northern India , and to a lesser extent in Bhutan and Nepal . They are mainly used as an ornamental tree and are found in almost all British-founded botanical gardens and official governmental compounds (such as larger official residences) in temperate parts of the Indian subcontinent. China has about 300 chestnut cultivars . Moreover,
8964-434: The market for decades, although quantities can still be obtained as reclaimed lumber . Today, they only survive as single trees separated from any others (very rare), and as living stumps , or "stools", with only a few growing enough shoots to produce seeds shortly before dying. This is just enough to preserve the genetic material used to engineer an American chestnut tree with the minimal necessary genetic input from any of
9072-487: The most common species in Australia is the European chestnut, but small numbers of the other species, as well as some hybrids, have been planted. The Japanese chestnut ( C. crenata ) does well in wet and humid weather and in hot summers (about 30 °C); and was introduced to New Zealand in the early 1900s, more so in the upper North Island region. Chestnuts produce a better crop when subjected to chill temperatures during
9180-471: The most local tier of local government. Warwickshire is policed by the Warwickshire Police . The force is governed by the elected Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner . In August 2020 Warwickshire County Council put forward proposals for the five district and borough councils in the county to be abolished and replaced with a single county-wide unitary authority . This prompted a backlash from
9288-568: The need for sun for optimal growth. The butt of the tree is sometimes painted with white paint to protect the tree from sunburn until it has developed enough canopy . Wide spacing between the trees encourages low, broad crowns with maximum exposure to sunshine to increase fruit production. Where chestnut trees touch, virtually no fruit is produced. Current industrial planting spacings can range from 7 x 7 to 20 x 20 m. The closer plantings, which are more popular, mean quicker increases in short-term production, but heavy pruning or even tree removal
9396-415: The north and centre of the county. The market towns of northern and eastern Warwickshire were industrialised in the 19th century, and include Atherstone , Bedworth , Coleshill , Nuneaton , and Rugby . Major industries included coal mining , textiles , engineering and cement production, but heavy industry is in decline, being replaced by distribution centres, light to medium industry and services. Of
9504-443: The northern and eastern towns, Nuneaton and Rugby (as the birthplace of rugby football ) are best known outside of Warwickshire. The prosperous towns of central and western Warwickshire, including Leamington Spa , Warwick , Stratford-upon-Avon , Kenilworth , Alcester , Southam and Wellesbourne , harbour tourism, gaming and services as major employment sectors. The north of the county, bordering Staffordshire and Leicestershire,
9612-480: The nuts react as fresh fruits (not as nuts). They should be kept cool at all times, including in shops when on display for sale. To preserve their freshness for a few months with no artificial refrigeration, the chestnuts can be soaked in cold water for about 20 hours immediately after harvest , after which they are dried in the shade, then layered in dry sand. Chestnuts behave similarly to seeds in that they produce very little ethylene , and their respiration rate
9720-549: The outlying Cotswolds and the Edgehill escarpment is known as the Vale of Red Horse . The only town in the south of Warwickshire is Shipston-on-Stour . The highest point in the county, at 261 m (856 ft), is Ebrington Hill , again on the border with Gloucestershire, grid reference SP187426 at the county's southwest extremity. There are no cities in Warwickshire since both Coventry and Birmingham were incorporated into
9828-533: The place's name. Still others take the name as coming from the Greek name of Sardis glans (Sardis acorn) – Sardis being the capital of Lydia , Asia Minor, from where the fruit had spread. The name is cited twice in the King James Version of the Bible. In one instance, Jacob puts peeled twigs in the water troughs to promote healthy offspring of his livestock. Although it may indicate another tree, it indicates
9936-520: The potential increase in productivity with mixed stands and plantations, compared to plots of only one species. The relative yield total values of the mixed plantings steadily increase with time. C. sativa responds well to competitive pressure from Pseudotsuga menziesii , the latter also showing a higher productivity. C. dentata seedlings in Ohio reforestation efforts are best achieved by planting them in places with little or no arboreous land cover, because of
10044-473: The preferred range is from pH 5.5-6.0. It does not grow well on alkaline soils , such as chalk , but thrives on soils such as those derived from granite , sandstone , or schist . On alkaline soils, chestnut trees can be grown by grafting them onto oak rootstocks. Recently cleared land is best avoided to help resist the root rot , Armillaria mellia . Castanea likes a full sun position. An experiment with C. dentata seedlings in Ohio confirmed
10152-464: The rest of Warwickshire. The town of Tamworth was historically divided between Warwickshire and Staffordshire , but since 1888 has been fully in Staffordshire. Warwickshire contains a large expanse of green belt area, surrounding the West Midlands and Coventry conurbations, and was first drawn up from the 1950s. All the county's districts contain some portion of the belt. Warwickshire has
10260-541: The rivers Avon and Leam flow. Areas historically part of Warwickshire include Coventry , Solihull , Sutton Coldfield , and some of Birmingham including the city centre , Aston , Castle Bromwich , Digbeth , Edgbaston , Erdington , Hodge Hill , Ladywood , Nechells , Saltley , Shard End , Sheldon , Small Heath and Sparkbrook . These areas also became part of the metropolitan county of West Midlands (and Sutton Coldfield became part of Birmingham) following local government re-organisation in 1974 . In 1986
10368-454: The same name of "Great Chestnut of Tortworth" in the days of Stephen . This tree measured over 50 ft (15 m) in circumference at 5 ft (1.5 m) from the ground in 1720. The Hundred Horse Chestnut in the chestnut forests on Mount Etna is the oldest living chestnut tree and is said to be even larger. Chestnut trees particularly flourish in the Mediterranean basin . In 1584,
10476-538: The sentence of the women still in custody under committal by the Chadlington bench of magistrates which imposed hard labour in addition to imprisonment they are not therefore to be kept any longer at hard labour, an official authority will follow in due course.' It was, however, received too late to be effective. On release, the women returned to their village as martyrs for the cause. The National Union of Agricultural Workers gave each of them £5 and enough blue silk to make
10584-413: The sentencing by the two magistrates, the position of clergymen as magistrates did not change as a result of this case. Revd Harris and Revd Carter continued as Oxfordshire magistrates for a further 23 and 30 years respectively, and local clergymen continued to be appointed as magistrates- as, indeed, they can be now. On the Ascott Martyrs' centenary in 1973 an octagonal wooden seat was installed encircling
10692-434: The sides and develop broad, rounded, dense crowns at maturity. The foliage of the European and American species has striking yellow autumn coloring. Its bark is smooth when young, of a vinous maroon or red-brown color for the American chestnut, grey for the European chestnut. With age, American species' bark becomes grey and darker, thick, and deeply furrowed ; the furrows run longitudinally, and tend to twist around
10800-414: The tree listing the names of the martyrs and those who supported them. The episode is explored more fully in the collection of essays The Ascott Martyrs: Why did the rural establishment imprison sixteen women and two babies in 1873? , published in 2023. Warwickshire Warwickshire ( / ˈ w ɒr ɪ k ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / ; abbreviated Warks ) is a ceremonial county in
10908-604: The trunk as the tree ages, sometimes reminiscent of a large cable with twisted strands. The leaves are simple, ovate or lanceolate , 10–30 cm long and 4–10 cm wide, with sharply pointed, widely spaced teeth, with shallow rounded sinuates between. The flowers follow the leaves, appearing in late spring or early summer or into July. They are arranged in long catkins of two kinds, with both kinds being borne on every tree. Some catkins are made of only male flowers, which mature first. Each flower has eight stamens , or 10 to 12 for C. mollissima . The ripe pollen carries
11016-482: The trunk of a chestnut tree on Ascott-under-Wychwood village green with a memorial plaque stating: This seat was erected to celebrate the centenary of the Ascott Martyrs, the 16 women who were sent to prison in 1873 for the part they played in the founding of the Agricultural Workers Union when they were sent "over the hills to glory" . The 1973 memorial has been replaced with four benches surrounding
11124-445: The varieties, although usually smaller than the Japanese chestnut. The unrelated horse chestnuts (genus Aesculus ) are not true chestnuts, but are named for producing nuts of similar appearance that are mildly poisonous to humans. True chestnuts should also not be confused with water chestnuts , which are tubers of an aquatic herbaceous plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae . Other species commonly mistaken for chestnut trees are
11232-457: The west, Northamptonshire to the east and southeast, Gloucestershire to the southwest and Oxfordshire to the south. The northern tip of the county is only 3 miles (5 km) from the Derbyshire border. An average-sized English county covering an area of 1,975 km (760 sq mi), it runs some 56 miles (90 km) north to south. The majority of Warwickshire's population live in
11340-717: The women for 7 days. A newspaper in 1873 printed the story under the heading, "Rioting in Chipping Norton". The seven women imprisoned for 10 days with hard labour were: Martha Maria Smith aged 45, Rebecca Smith aged 25, Mary Moss (alias Smith) aged 17, Charlotte Moss aged 39, Ann Susan Moss aged 25, Ann Moss aged 22 and Fanny Honeybone aged just 16. The nine women sentenced to 7 days' imprisonment with hard labour were: Elizabeth Pratley, aged 29, Mary Pratley aged 33, Ellen Pratley aged 25, Lavinia Dring, aged 44, Amelia Moss aged 36, Martha Moss, aged 33, Caroline Moss, aged 18, Jane Moss aged 31 and Mary Moss aged 35. By 9pm on 20 May 1873,
11448-501: Was covered by the ancient Forest of Arden (most of which was cut down to provide fuel for industrialisation). Thus the names of a number of places in the central-western part of Warwickshire end with the phrase "-in-Arden", such as Henley-in-Arden , Hampton-in-Arden and Tanworth-in-Arden . The remaining area, not part of the forest, was called the Felden – from fielden - and is now an undulating and agricultural landscape, through which
11556-469: Was developed in Greensboro, N.C., and constitutes the majority of blight-free chestnuts produced in the United States annually. Today, the demand for the nut outstrips supply . The United States imported 4,056 metric tons of European in-shell chestnuts worth $ 10 million in 2007. The U.S. chestnut industry is in its infancy, producing less than 1% of total world production. Since the mid-20th century, most of
11664-400: Was exploited and Coventry and the west of the county became manufacturing centres; Leamington Spa developed as a tourist resort at the same time. The Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans, better known as George Eliot , was born just outside Nuneaton in 1819. Warwickshire is bordered by Leicestershire to the northeast, Staffordshire to the northwest, Worcestershire and the West Midlands to
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