Freer’s Mummy Pea
- Tags
- Variety Champions Pea
About 🔗
| Vegetable Type: | Pea |
| Date Added to the Heritage Seed Library: | 2005 |
Freer’s Mummy pea originates from the gardens of Lord Carnarvon at Highclere Castle (now known the world over as Downton Abbey!). The variety is named after our donor, who first saw them as a child and received the peas from a friend and former gardener at Highclere Castle.
Freer’s Mummy peas are reputed to be peas from Tutankhamun's tomb. We are always a little dubious of claims like these – if we had a pound for every pea variety reported to have come from Tutankhamun’s tomb we may well be as rich as the Boy King himself. However, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon was best known as the financial backer of the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, so this variety has a stronger link that most!
We took this variety into the collection nearly twenty years ago, in 2005, and first shared it with members in 2011.
Freer’s Mummy peas are very tall (over 2m) and very vigorous. They produce pure white flowers, and so many pods that they regularly need staking. The peas are tender, delicious and freeze well.
Why we save Freer’s Mummy Pea 🔗
We can’t prove they came from Tutankhamun’s tomb, but then again, we can’t prove that they didn’t! Regardless of its connection to the Valley of the Kings, Freer’s Mummy is a fantastic pea worth saving in its own right.
