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Realising that the great tradition of growing lavender in
England was under severe threat, a local nurseryman,
Linn Chilvers, made up his mind to keep it alive.
This led him into a
second career dedicated to growing and breeding
lavender.
In 1932 he established a partnership with a local
landowner Francis (“Ginger”) Dusgate to develop the
growing and processing of lavender and for the next
60 years or so Norfolk Lavender Ltd was the only
significant lavender farm in the UK. It remains
England’s premier lavender farm. By 1936 there were
100 acres under cultivation.
Since then the enterprise has expanded
significantly, and new varieties have been bred,
starting with Royal Purple in 1944. Latterly
Princess Blue, Imperial Gem and Sawyers, all very
popular garden cultivars, have been introduced, and
research into improved oil bearing varieties
continues.
At the gateway to Heacham is Caley Mill. It was built
using carrstone quarried at the top of Snettisham
Hill and bought in 1837 by local landowner Hamon
LeStrange.
The introduction of the railway saw a decline in the
mill's fortunes and it ceased to be a working mill
by 1919. It eventually became derelict and was
finally purchased in 1936 by “Ginger” Dusgate as the new home of
Norfolk Lavender Ltd.
The newly formed business soon began planting the
area with lavenders. Originally the distillation took place nearby at Fring but
that has now moved to Heacham where both drying and
distilling can be viewed in the summer. In the
distillery are two Victorian copper stills each of
which holds 250 kgs of fresh lavender. The
distillation process can be viewed by visitors to
Caley Mill during July and August.
Internationally renowned, Norfolk Lavender Ltd still
cultivates about 100 acres of lavender, and from
that precious fragrant harvest their prized lavender
products are distributed to over 25 countries around
the world. In addition, over 150,000 visitors a
year are welcomed to the Visitor Centre at Caley
Mill which houses the National Collection of
Lavenders as well as rose and herb gardens.
Norfolk Lavender's tearoom, garden and gift shops are all great
attractions with a wide choice of freshly
cooked cakes and meals, extensive selection of lavenders, herbs,
and other perennials (with an emphasis on fragrance)
and their own range of fragrant
products and much else besides to delight keen
shoppers of all ages. One of the key events held at this popular Norfolk
attraction, which celebrated its 75th
Anniversary in 2007, is the annual Lavender Festival
which will take place on 5th and 6th July in
2008.
THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF DISTILLING
Steam distillation is a time honoured process for
the extraction of essential oils. Fresh cut plant
is put into a still (nowadays stainless steel but,
traditionally, copper like Norfolk Lavender Ltd’s)
and steam is passed through. The heat of the steam
causes the oil to vaporise creating a mixture of
oil, vapour and steam.
These vapours are then cooled and condensed back to
liquid. They flow into a separator and, in the case
of lavender, peppermint, thyme and most other
essential oils, being lighter than the water they
float to the top and are drawn off.
About 1kg of lavender oil should be extracted from
250 kgs of lavender herb following the 25 minute
distillation process. The resulting oil is then
stored to mature before being used in the Company’s
wide range of English Lavender products.
