Mulberry events in London this summer

Morus Londinium, The Conservation Foundation’s mulberry programme for London, celebrates the Chelsea Fringe and London Tree Week with mulberry themed exhibitions and guided walks.

London’s mulberries bear witness to centuries of history, survivors of distant periods in the capital’s story, standing still while their surroundings changed beyond recognition. They are Edwardian poet Edward Thomas’s ‘lost angels of ruined paradises’.

Thought to have been brought here by the Romans for their delicious juicy fruits, mulberries were part of monastery gardens and palaces over the years. King James I planted thousands to break free of the need to import silk from Europe but the venture failed, perhaps because they were black mulberries but more probably because of the damp climate. The arrival of Huguenot weavers, refugees from religious persecution in France, led to further plantings but no silk industry. Today there are still many aged mulberries in London streets and gardens: over 600 trees have been registered in Greater London so far by the public as part of the Morus Londinium survey. The project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is delving into the significance of London’s mulberry trees to the history, culture and economy of the capital and revealing the wide value of our natural heritage and how it is shaped and utilised by our society.

EXHIBITIONS – both exhibitions run from 20 May until 23 July.

Reflect on two of London’s oldest mulberry trees and their stories in The Conservation Foundation’s Morus Londinium exhibition being staged during Chelsea Fringe (20 May to 4 June)  and London Tree Week (27 May to 4 June) at Charlton House in Greenwich (Charlton Road, London SE7 8RE) and Forty Hall  in Enfield (Forty Hill, Enfield, EN2 9HA) and a guided mulberry walk on 28  and 30 May.

Designers Stables and Lucraft use mirrors to create installations at Charlton House and Forty Hall to allow the visitor to look deep into the gnarled and convoluted branches of these veteran trees. The black mulberry at Charlton House is thought to be 400 years old, while the recumbent tree at Forty Hall is around 120 years old.

At Charlton House, Rebecca Lucraft’s delightfully distinctive and intricate pieces combine with Tom Stables’ bold graphics to tell the fascinating story of the mulberry’s relationship with London.

MULBERRY GUIDED WALKS led by Dr Peter Coles, urban nature writer and photographer

Greenwich Mulberry Walk – SUNDAY 28 MAY  11am – 1pm

Greenwich’s mulberries have many fascinating stories to tell. The walk will start at the old mulberry tree at the entrance to Charlton House and finish at Sayes Court in Deptford. The guided walk is free but booking is essential https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/guided-walk-greenwichs-marvellous-mulberries-tickets-33273336445?aff=es2

Stalking the City’s Monastery Mulberries – TUESDAY 30 MAY  11am – 1pm

Discover the City of London’s historic mulberry trees amongst the monasteries, churches and Temple law courts of the City of London. Meet at Blackfriars rail and Tube station north entrance, Queen Victoria Street, EC4V 4DD. Supported by the Mayor of London, the guided walk is free but booking is essential https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stalking-the-citys-monastery-mulberries-tickets-33339658817