jan 1, 1467 - crocus-coloured

Description:

The crocus may have a much longer history as a cloth dye than has been suspected, possibly using flowers grown in Holderness. 1257 <i>Item pauperibus parochianis de Harpam vnum chalonem rubeum et croceum de ramis stragulatum</i> (ERAS21/70); 1341 <i>unum coverlyt crocei coloris, </i>Harpham (SS4/2). The crocus in this case was possibly the autumn-flowering saffron, yellow-orange in colour and used particularly as a medicine. It was grown in several parts of England and there are references in wills to crocus gardens, for example: 1467 <i>unum gardinum in Coddington lane </i>[near Newark]<i> plantatum cum croco</i> (SS30/282-3). Saffron Walden in Essex was the best known place where it was cultivated.

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