Conservation status: N
First: record: Turner,1538
Elleborum nigrum...Caeterum censeo illam herbam quam vulgus cantabrigiense, vocat Bearefote esse verum elleborum nigrum. Turner,1538,49.
Helleborus niger foetidus Martyn,1727,64-65.
Helleborus foetidus Bear's-foot. Setterwort.... Relhan,1785; [added] Stinking Hellebore. Relhan,1802;1820.
15
Wood edge, Woodbury Farm, 186.537, GMS Easy, 23.3.1979.
24
Copse behind Downing Arms, Tadlow, [c.294.476–] 17.4.1931 [sketch] Mills ann.
Sinkin's Spinney 015a [=Croydon] JSL Gilmour, 5.1931, CGE.
Small wood behind Downing Arms Inn, near Wendy, JSL Gilmour, 5.1931, CGE.
A large patch in Simpkin's (or Sinking) Spinny behind the Downing Arms, Tadlow or Croydon, 297.477, 15.4.1949. DE Coombe, Card index.
44
Triplow. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Thriplow in a small wood, H Gilbert-Carter, 2.6.1931, CGE.
Abundant on ditch sides around south end of Thriplow Place, G Crompton, 1962.
Gravel-pit plantation, Hinxton, 1906, Shrubbs ann.
Whittlesford, A Arbon, 1991, [R].
45
...the Countrey about Cambridge...Helleboraster maximus. Ray litt. 1661,220.
Helleboraster maximus Ger. Great bastard Hellebore or Bears-foot. At Cherry-hinton, in the hedges of a close near to the moor. Ray,1663,5-6.
Helleboraster maximus Great bastard black Hellebore, or Bears-foot. In the hedges of some closes about Cherry-Hinton, near Cambridge. Ray,1670:163.
In the second Close on the left hand as you go from Hinton Church to Fulbourn: also in the hedges of a close near Hinton Moor. Ray,1685,8.
Helleborus foetidus Hinton In the Lanes and Closes JM.ann.Index Loc.
Helleboraster maximus Great bastard black Hellebore or Bear's-foot, Setterwort. In the hedges of some Closes about Cherry-Hinton near Cambridge. Ray,1690,100; Ray,1696,154; Ray,1724,272-3.
Hinton Lanes & Closes Th.M.ann.Meth.-Index Loc.10.
[Helleborus...foetidus] On the east side of Cherry Hinton, on the left hand side of the road, not far before you come to the Church. Th.M.ann.Meth.64.
Cherry-Hinton. In the lanes and closes. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII.
Cherry Hinton Fisher ann. Berkenhout,157.
Hinton. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Cherry Hinton, Rev GR Leathes, n.d., Hb Rickards, IPS.
Cherry Hinton, L.J., 10.3.1821, BATHG.
Cherry Hinton, JS Henslow, 10.3.1821, BATHG.
Hinton Henslow ann. l:226.
Hinton, JS Henslow, 2.4.1827, CGE.
Cherry Hinton, CC Babington, 2.1828, CGE.
Hinton, Chalk pit close. Bab.ann.Relhan,226.
Near Cherry-Hinton. 11.5.1829. Henslow Exc.
Hinton J.D., 24.3.1830, NTM.
Helle foe Cambridge to Cherry Hinton... 14.5.1830. Henslow Exc.
Chalk Pit, Cherry Hinton, W.L.P.G., 5.1832, SWN.
Cherry Hinton, Hb JA Power, 3.1833, RTE.
Cherry Hinton, Hb CM Lemann, 10.5.1833, CGE.
Chalk pit Close. 1833,Coleman(a),18; Coleman(b).
Walked to Cherry Hinton and Shelford. The Helleborus foetidus just in flower, and H. viridis also... 5.3.1836. Bab.Mem.48.
Chalk-pit close at Hinton, very recently extirpated. Bab.1860,9.
In the second close on the right [sic] hand as you go from Hinton church to Fulbourn; Ray. Bab.1860,9.
In the Spinney, [Lime Pit Close] Paul Stebbings, 1991.
White Hill, Gt Shelford EA George, 1940.
Vandlebury, Mr Warner, 1956.
Vandlebury, non flowering patch, (leaf only), SM Walters, 11.2.1957, CGE.
Helleborus Two fl. shoots on patch near House. Wandlebury. SM Walters field notebook 5.1.1961.
A few plants along bank (? same loc. as with SM Walters in 1950s] Wandlebury ground, 493.534, PD Sell & JG Murrell, 10.2.1988.
Gogs Golf Club, on eastern boundary, south of 7th tee, [nr Wandlebury] Peter Darling, 1975.
Adams Road Bird Reserve, 437.588, PH Oswald & U3A group, 14.9.1998, [R].
47
Sutton Churchyard, 448.789, PD Sell, 25.7.1988.
54
Grounds of Hildersham Hall, 542.482, Miss Rhodes, 2.2.1955.
Wood, Hinxton Grange, – Lancaster, 10.1960, det. FH Perring.
55
Helleborus niger fol. Fulbourn. JM.ann.
In Ox Meadow near Fulbourn. JM.ann.Meth.65.
...The country people frequently give the powder of this plant to their children for the worms. But how dangerous a midicine it is, may be understood by the following accident. Some years ago, when the ground was covered with a very deep snow; a flock of sheep in Ox-Meadow near Fulborn in Cambridgeshire, finding nothing but this herb above the snow, eat plentifully of it. They soon appeared terribly out of order, and most of them died; a few being saved by timely giving them some oil; which made them cast up this herb. Some of those which died, being opened, were found to have their stomachs greatly inflamed. This account I had from the man who attended them. He went with me to the very spot, and as he pointed out the herb which poisoned them, I found it to be this species of Hellebore. Martyn,1732,2:7-8.
Helleborus niger foetidus Fulborn Th.M.ann.Meth.-Index Loc.7.
[Helleborus or Bears-foot.] In Ox Meadow near Fulborn. Th.M.ann.Meth.65.
Fulbourn. In some closes near the mill. Dr Martyn. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII.
Fulborn Fisher ann. Berkenhout,157.
Fulbourn. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Fulbourn. Henslow ann. l:226.
Fulbourn, JS Henslow, 1.4.1830, CGE.
Fulbourn, RJ Bunch, 6.3.1833, LTR.
Fulbourn. Planted near old water Mill, Fulbourn. Bab.ann.Relhan,226.
Fulbourn beside a path leading from the back of Mr Townley's grounds to the watercourse on the edge of the Moor. 1833,Coleman(a),18.
Fulbourn. Coleman(b).
Walked to Fulbourn and found Helleborus foetidus in perfection. 18.3.1836. Bab.Mem.48.
In some closes near the old water-mill at Fulbourn. Bab.1860,9.
Copses at Fulbourne, FA Hanbury, 4.1861, CGE.
A wood near Fulbourne, with CW Moule, Cowell Hb. 5.5.1875, IPS.
Fulbourn, AS Shrubbs, 6.1901, CGE.
In wood by the brook, Fulbourne, nr railway, 1906, Shrubbs ann.
Thicket near Fulbourn Station, EF Warburg, WB Gourlay, H Gilbert-Carter, TG Tutin, 4.[1932], CGE.
Plentiful in wood
m. ESE Fulbourn Church, with some flower buds as big as peas. n.d. [c.1947] DE Coombe, Card index.West end of Cringles, [Fulbourn] 52-56-, Mrs O. Vaughan, 6.1965.
In the woods, Fulbourn Fen NR, CNT exc., 19.6.1970, [R].
Fulbourn Fen NR, M Powell, 1995, [R].
56
Bottisham Hall, S Jenyns, 1962.
Rookery Wood, Bottisham Hall, 56L, PH Oswald & U3A group, [R].
Naturalized in garden, 103 Commercial End, Swaffham Bulbeck, G Crompton, 1996, [R].
65
Carlton Grange Plantation, 660.550, presumed introduction. JC Faulkner, 1967.
68
Shippea Hill, Sir Frederick Hiam, said to have caused the death of horses, 1939, per H Gilbert-Carter, CGE.
