The picturesque village of Ewelme is rightly famous for its wonderful medieval architecture, epitomised in the church, school and almshouses built in the 15th century by Alice de la Pole, Duchess of Suffolk and grand-daughter of the famous poet Geoffrey Chaucer.

It is just as famous for the watercress grown there, much of which was sent to London. Watercress was a popular salad vegetable, and grew wild' in the stream that meanders through the village, and would have been picked by the local people for personal use.

It was also valued for its healing properties.

The Romans used it as a treatment for mental illness and believed it helped people make decisions. John Gerard, writing about it in his Herball in 1597, said that boiled in wine or milk, it could be used to treat scurvy.

Nicholas Culpeper recommended its use to remove freckles, clear spots, and relieve ulcers, while watercress pottage could be used for headaches.

Herbalists have also ascribed many uses for it, such as to ease rheumatism and arthritis, promote hair growth, ease toothache and even help cure heart disease and cancer. Women yearning for babies were told to go and gaze on the green cress in spring.

It was first cultivated as a crop in the early 19th century in the south of England, the area around London and the Chilterns.

Ewelme had some of the largest and best-known beds, but it was also grown in the Vale of White Horse at Ashbury, Blewbury, Childrey, Ginge, the Letcombes and West Hendred.

Thomas Hardy immortalised the Letcombe Bassett beds describing them as Cresscombe in his novel Jude the Obscure.

It was probably first grown commercially in Ewelme by George Smith, of nearby South Weston. In the 1871 census, he was described as a cress salesman and was lodging at a coffee house in Shoe Lane, Holborn.

John Legh wrote in his book The Story of Ewelme Watercress, that George was the publican of the Salisbury Arms in South Weston but, like many publicans, he probably found it difficult to make a living from that trade alone and needed other sources of income.

In 1891 the cress seems to have been more important than the pub, as he described himself as a water cress grower and publican'.

The watercress beds in Ewelme covered about three-quarters of a mile. The cress was cut in December, and from February to June, usually by men who waded into the water.

The cress was washed and then women tied it into bunches using raffia and packed it into special baskets known as flats', which took either 28lb or 56lb of cress ready to be taken by horse and cart to the station. Later, an Austin car with a specially designed trailer was used.

The workers are said to have sung the following song, changing the name of the queen as desired, while working: While strolling out one evening Down by the running stream, Where water lilies were growing, It was a lovely scene.

The sight I saw was better, A Damsel like a Queen, She was gathering watercress Down by the old mill stream.

Her hair hung down in tresses As gently flowed the stream.

She was gathering watercresses Was that fair Watercress Queen.

I asked if she was lonely.

She answered with a smile, Oh Sir, I am not lonely For this is my daily toil.

I have to be up so early To gather my cresses green.' She told me her name was Better known as the Watercress Queen.' There must have been a certain magic associated with the beds, as it is said that tiny fairies, the size of a finger, dressed in white have been seen at the King's Pool at the head of the beds.

The people of Ewelme are still proud of their watercress beds, even though they are no longer used commercially, and they have recently been restored by teams of volunteers.

Christine Bloxham's book, Folklore of Oxfordshire, is published by Tempus, priced £14.99.