Liquorice Cultivation at Friarwood Valley Gardens

Liquorice Cultivation at Friarwood Valley Gardens. . Liquorice has probably been grown in the Friarwood Valley since the time of the Black Friars who occupied this site from 1256-1538. Four generations of the Keighley family grew liquorice here in the 19th and 20th centuries, where the Rose Garden and Bowling Green are now, and probably used this building for storage. Bill Keighley sold his 4-acre plot to Pontefract Borough Council in the late 1940s, for the creation of Friarwood Valley Gardens. Liquorice is cultivated for its roots from which the liquorice is extracted, and in Pontefract it took 5 years for the roots to develop ready for harvest. The extensive root system grew to a depth of over 4 feet, and it was necessary to dig deep trenches to carefully harvest the roots without damage. This 1930s photo shows Bill (front) digging a trench, Pontefract General Infirmary in the background. Another row of liquorice plants can be seen behind the trench. The liquorice root was harvested in October when the plants were dying back for the winter. "Buds", the part of the plant between the root and the stem, were kept to propagate the next generation of plants, stored over the winter and planted in April. They were planted in raised beds, 3 feet wide, 3 rows in each bed. For the first 2 or 3 years when the liquorice plants were small, vegetable crops such as potatoes and cabbages were grown between the beds, but in later years the liquorice would be over 4 feet tall. All the liquorice root harvested here went to pharmaceutical firms in Nottingham and Sheffield and not to the Pontefract confectionery firms., Sir John Betjeman: "The Licorice Fields at Pontefract" , Statue of Sir John Betjeman in St Pancras Station, London. Sir John Betjeman was poet Laureate from 1972 until his death in 1984. His affection for Pontefract and fascination with its liquorice heritage is fondly portrayed in his poem: "The Licorice (sic) Fields at Pontefract". His link with Pontefract was through his friendship with the Countess of Rosse who lived in Womersley and was President of Pontefract Civic Society., Betjeman's poem is displayed in the Rose Garden by the liquorice plants., Sir John (centre) in a liquorice field, tasting a liquorice root, Probably late 1960s. On the left is Harry Battye, local historian, and on the right, Allan Blaza, Pontefract Civic Society.