Lower Froyle at the turn of the century, looking to the south

In 1800 there were 141 acres of hops in Froyle and in 1855 a village directory stated that “there are hop-yards on all the farms.” Remnants of the industry, which has almost died out, can still be seen around the village in the form of oast houses - once used for drying the hops. Children were expected to join their families for hop picking and everyone earned 1¼d a bushel. It was hard work but the children particularly liked going up to the kilns when the hops were drying and roasting apples and potatoes in the fires.