Pineapple pit

[3] The pineapple pit consisted of three trenches covered with glass, slightly below ground level, connected with two cavity walls.

The outer troughs were kept filled with 15 tonnes of fresh horse manure, which gave off heat as it decomposed.

The central trough is where the pineapples were grown, at an artificially high temperature, due to the manure.

[5] A pineapple pit requires a huge amount of fresh manure, and manual labour to maintain the temperature of the central trench.

[6] The introduction of steam ships meant that the pineapple pit became obsolete, as it was cheaper to transport fruit from overseas than to grow them under special conditions in the UK.