Editing Askham Bog (section)

===Hemp cultivation===
Fossil evidence found in distinct horizons between layers of fen peat and ''Scorpidium''-''Sphagnum'' peat at Askham Bog suggests that [[Cannabis sativa|hemp]] was once cultivated there. The evidence takes the form of preserved hemp [[achenes]] and pollen, which may be relics of [[retting]] (steeping in water)<ref name = "Bradshaw">Bradshaw R.&nbsp;H.&nbsp;W., Coxon P. 1981. New fossil evidence for the past cultivation and processing of hemp (''Cannabis sativa L.'') in eastern England. ''New Phytologist'' 89: 503–510.</ref><ref name = "Gearey">Gearey B.&nbsp;R., Hall A.&nbsp;R., Bunting M.&nbsp;J. et al. 2005. Recent palaeoenvironmental evidence for the processing of hemp (''Cannabis sativa L.'') in eastern England during the medieval period. Medieval Archaeology. pp 317–322. ISSN 0076-6097.</ref> Pollen of aquatic plants such [[Nymphaea|water lilies]] and [[Sparganium emersum|cattails]] have also been found in the same peat cores as hemp seeds and pollen. It is therefore suggested that these hemp residues were submerged during this period.<ref name = "Gearey"/>

The cultivation of hemp at Askham was probably intense during the [[Tudor period]], although the exact dates are not known. The crop was extensively cultivated and retted in England by royal decree for hemp rope for the British navy. Askham Bog's Acomb Court Roll of 1594 provides documentary evidence of hemp retting restrictions due to the malodour produced by retted fibres and the potential for retting water to pollute rivers.<ref name = "FitterSmith"/> However, hemp retting stopped in the 19th century with the increased importation of hemp rope from Europe and Russia and the increasing switch to [[sisal]] from America and [[jute]] from India..<ref name = "Bradshaw"/>