
About this Sweet Chestnut
Sweet chestnut is the source of the edible chestnut and is not to be confused with the unrelated horse chestnut, which produces inedible nuts known as conkers. This tree is native to southern Europe and Asia Minor and may have first been brought to Britain by the Romans. It is a relative of the oak and like the oak is valued for its timber and can grow to a considerable age. The oldest trees are thought to be around 2,000 years old.
Traditionally, the tree was grown as a coppice species and was cut on a cycle to produce poles that would be split for fencing and other uses requiring smaller dimension timber. The nut is prepared as a roasted snack and can be processed into confections, puddings, cakes and bread. The nuts were thought to be so nutritious that Roman soldiers ate chestnut porridge before going into battle.
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