CONKERING HEROES
The fruit of the horse chestnut tree continues to be a source of fun for all ages, as Jan Johnstone discovers
ENGLAND’S horse chestnut, not to be confused with the sweet chestnut, is one of the first trees in the UK to come into leaf in the spring and, come autumn, it is one of the first to lose its leaves. Known to live for up to 300 years, mature horse chestnuts can reach a height of 130 feet and are impressive trees when fully grown.
Although not native to Britain – it was introduced in the late 16th century – this tree is nonetheless a great favourite with its grey-brown trunk supporting a wide-spreading canopy. It shows to advantage in our parks, on village greens, alongside roadsides and within the boundaries of stately homes and farmland, and in spring lights up with large white and pink flowers known as “candles”.
But it is in the autumn months that it is particularly spectacular, when its large, hand-shaped, serrated leaves change from green to a variety of vibrant yellows, deep browns and rich russets, before drifting to the ground along with its fruits – horse chestnuts, also known as “conkers”.
It is then that the tree comes into its own and is of particular interest to children, who delight in collecting the conkers lying beneath the tree or maybe throwing sticks into the branches to knock down the fruits.
The nut’s spiky green husk of summer is now spotted with brown, and as it hits the ground it splits open.
Inside, nestled in a creamy “cushion” lining, are the treasures the children seek: glossy, rich mahogany conkers, maybe one, sometimes two, and if a particularly large symmetrical nut is found the searcher is overjoyed.
The children, most likely encouraged by parents who recall their own autumn memories, are gathering this bounty to carry out a tradition that developed in the 1800s and is still carried out today – the game of “conkers”, thought to derive from the word “conquerors”.
The first recorded mention of the game was on the Isle of Wight in 1848, although it is known that the game was around for some decades before then, when it might have been known as “cobblers”. At that time it was played with snail, walnut or hazelnut shells, with these eventually being replaced with conkers.
Different rules applied depending on which part of the country you lived in and it wasn’t just children but also adults who competed, taking the game very seriously.
If you want to test the suitability of your conker as a winner, try floating it in a bowl of water. If it sinks and has no cracks, it is more likely to triumph over an opponent. Over the years, subtle tactics developed that are now considered distinctly unsportsmanlike. For instance, to ensure a win it was,