This post is about the ancient Tarring fig gardens in South Street Tarring, Worthing.
Related post: The Tarring Folly – A Grade II Listed Building Sadly Decaying.
The remains of the Tarring fig gardens lie in the garden behind the house, today known as Bishops Garth.
I cannot ascertain when the fig gardens were laid out. Worthing Borough Council’s plaque, which you can see in the associated photograph, suggests that the Tarring fig gardens have existed at least since 1745.
The most complete historical account of the fig gardens I can find is from Roger Davis’s excellent book Tarring A Walk Through Its History.
Roger Davis’s historical account of the Tarring fig Gardens
In the nineteenth century, the fig orchard was quite a tourist attraction in Tarring, and many early guidebooks referred to the orchard.
At the time, one of the fig trees in the garden had a sign under it informing visitors that:
This fig tree is the oldest in England
it was planted 800 years ago
by Thomas A Becket*
Roger Davis tells us that this claim was implausible.
*Historical note by the post author: It cannot be proved that Thomas Becket visited Tarring. Source: British History Online – West Tarring.
The garden was sold off in large part to provide room for a new development that is now called Bishop’s Close.
The legend of the beccafico bird that visits the Tarring fig gardens once a year
The beccafico, a small warbler family bird that feeds on figs, is said to migrate from Italy to Tarring once a year for a week in the summer to feast on the ripe figs.
The bird is said to be sighted only in England in Tarring and [close by] Sompting, where there are also fig orchards, although Roger Davis had not heard of any sightings in recent years if any at all.
Image: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Text Source: Tarring A Walk Through Its History. Roger Davis. Published 1990. Pages 112-113.
Mrs. Humphrey’s Tea Gardens in the 19th Century
The property, now known as Bishops Garth was home to Mrs. Humphrey and her daughter, and during summer and winter, the public could enjoy the expansive fig garden.
There was a sweet shop, and during the summer they served tea and sold ice cream close to the entrance. A wooden house at the far end of the garden provided overnight accommodation for men who cycled from London.
Source: Pasttimesproject.co.uk – Lifestory Library.
You can view a copyrighted image of Mrs. Humphrey’s property (dated 1900 to 1904) at Historic England. The photograph is entitled Exterior view of tea room.
Worthing Borough Council’s – Conservation and Heritage Guide
This guide provides additional information about the Tarring fig gardens.
The fig orchard was established in 1745 using cuttings near the Old Palace. Local legend holds that Thomas Becket introduced figs to the Palace gardens. There were 100 trees in 1830 that produced two thousand dozen figs a year.
The Humphrey family promoted postal delivery of “ripe figs to any part of the kingdom.” The Tarring fig gardens were a well-liked tourist destination and closed to the public in 1937. Through the inclusion of a covenant into the sale of the property, an annual public open day was made possible and this open day falls in July. The late 1980s building of Bishops Close resulted in a reduction of the garden’s area. Source: Worthing Borough Council – Conservation and Heritage Guide. PDF file.
The Tarring Fig Gardens – Open to The Public Once a Year in July
This excellent video entitled Ancient Fig Garden in Tarring, Worthing, shows us the tranquil oasis of this beautiful garden that you can visit once a year in July.
Are there fig trees in other gardens of Tarring and Worthing?
The author of this post has a fig tree in his garden, which is shown in the associated photograph.
My neighbours have a much grander mature fig tree in their garden.
I am sure there are many other examples of fig trees in other Worthing gardens.
Comments are welcome. Have you visited the Tarring fig gardens and what are your memories?
Further reading
Roger Davies, 1990, Tarring: A Walk Through Its History. Privately published.
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