Hidden away in Lambeth, just over the river from Westminster, is a 465 year old fig tree. For context, the year it was planted in 1556, Mary I, daughter of King Henry VIII was on the throne, the population of London was roughly 100,000 and Lambeth was predominantly marshland and fields.
So where is this unusually old tree and what’s the story behind it?
Lambeth Palace
The tree can be found in the grounds of Lambeth Palace.
Lambeth Palace has been the London residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury for around 800 years. The chapel and crypt are the oldest buildings in Lambeth, dating from the 13th century.
St Mary-at-Lambeth church next door is the second oldest and is a great hidden gem- read more about it here.
The amazing red-brick Tudor gatehouse is known as Morton’s Tower and dates from 1490.
Cardinal Reginald Pole
In the central courtyard, next to the Great Hall you will find the fig tree in question.
Planted in 1556, it is a White Marseilles fig tree and was brought to Lambeth Palace by the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury: Cardinal Reginald Pole.
Pole was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1556-1558 and served under Queen Mary I, aka Bloody Mary. Strangely, they both died in an influenza pandemic, on the same day: 17th November 1558, within 12 hours of each other.
Pole most likely brought the tree over with him from Southern Italy whilst he was in exile after the break with Rome during Henry VIII’s reign.
The fig tree was, at first, planted towards the East end of the garden front with one or two others.
It was then moved to its present spot in 1828 when Edward Blore built the main residential block. The other fig trees were lost, presumably during renovations.
The gardens by the way, are the longest continually cultivated gardens in London and one of the largest private gardens in the city. They are beautiful and well worth visiting if you get the chance.
The Fig Tree Today And How To Visit
The tree is still going strong after all these years and produces fruit every autumn. A cutting from the tree was given by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to the Pope in 2014.
Lambeth Palace is a private house so is not open to the public on a daily basis. The gardens however open occasionally for open garden events and they run occasional tours (in normal times- currently paused because of covid).
You can find out more on their website here and follow them on social media to keep up to date with events.
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Beautiful!! Thank you for the well written post 🙂
Thank you Naveen! Glad you liked it 🙂
Jack,
Were do we find out about future open days.
Colin.
Hi Colin, it can be difficult with Lambeth Palace if I’m honest as they don’t seem to have a mailing list as far as I can tell. If you have any social media accounts you can follow them on there. Otherwise they recommend regularly checking the website. Thanks, Jack
I remember knowing about cardinal Pole when at my Catholic Grammar School . One of the convents owned by my order of nuns ( the Faithful Companions of Jesus) was named after him.
Thanks for your comment June! Another interesting connection 🙂
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