If you look at an old map of Frome from the early 1900s then you will see sites of old allotments which have long since disappeared. With a population of around 11,00O there was a demand for space for people to grow their own food, as seventeenth and eighteenth century terraced houses only had small gardens. As the town grew these sites were taken for new houses, for car parks and for public buildings and as the town gradually spread out the allotments were lost.
The aerial photos below, supplied by English Heritage, were taken in the 1930s and show some of these old sites.
The allotments can be seen at the bottom of the photograph, sloping up the hill from Christchurch. Perhaps the allotments were originally connected to the church? The Health Centre Mark 1 was built on this site.
Bath Street winds its way through the centre of the photograph. The allotments are on the right hand side of the photograph. The site was used for housing and parking.
If anyone has any information on these or other lost allotments of Frome, then please do get in touch.