History of saffron Gâtinais, Normandy, Périgord, Poitou, Provence, and Quercy. Its mysterious decline started during the 18th century, possibly due to pandemic fungal diseases destroying bulbs and crops, to particularly cold winters, and to competing market from the Mediterranean countries. In England, cultivation "persisted" only in the light, well-drained, and chalk-based soils of the north Essex countryside. The Essex town of Saffron Walden got its name as a saffron growing and trading centre; its name was originally Cheppinge Walden, and the culinary name change was effected to punctuate the importance of the crop to the townsfolk; the town's arms still feature blooms from
Saffron Walden (horse) badly in the straight, finishing tailed off last of the nine runners behind Royal Anthem. Saffron Walden was off the course for eleven months before returning for his first and only appearance as a four-year-old in the Minstrel Stakes over one mile at the Curragh on 16 July 2000. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan he finished third of the six runners behind the tree-year-old colt Shibi. At the end of his racing career Saffron Walden was sold for an undisclosed sum and exported to become a breeding stallion in Japan. He returned to Ireland in 2005 and was based at the