Local paper, The Archer, features an interesting story in their April issue – we may be getting bottled spring water ‘Made’ in East Finchley, in the coming months.
Imagine this. You are a local couple living near Cherry Tree Wood and you notice that there’s a spot at the end of the garden which lately has become a constant puddle of water. It is so clean and clear that it attracts wildlife and becomes a little watering hole. You try to fix the problem but the water just keeps coming back. Then you hear by chance that this may be the latest manifestation of an ancient spring. The couple, who wish to remain anonymous at this stage, are exploring the idea of bottling their free gift of nature and have even commissioned a label. What will it be called? N2H2O of course. Follow the link to the article in The Archer complete with an image of the potential new bottled brand: http://www.the-archer.co.uk/archive/2017/2017Apr05.pdf
Watercress Beds
We know that the area around Cherry Tree Wood has always had streams and brooks running through it which have had periods of flood and then retreated. In 1891 a period of plenty was exploited in a particular way as highlighted by the enumerator who added an intriguing household to the census list. A ‘Cottage in watercress beds’ was occupied by a 52 year old under-gardener from Cambridge, William Murrell, his 48 year old wife, whose occupation was ‘minding watercress beds’, and their three children: twin boys of seven and a daughter of five. The watercress beds were 12 narrow rectangles in Cherry Tree Wood, then called Dirthouse Wood. (It was the point where carts arrived with hay from farms to the north and returned with soot and manure from the City.) By 1901 the watercress was gone.
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