Masseria Bosco

Masseria Bosco: historical notes

About 2 km north of Avetrana and at an altitude of 75 m above sea level, between the old road that led to Oria and the one that led to Erchie, just north of specchia Crocecchia, known for some findings from the Bronze Age,  but now demolished to make way for an Apulian water tower, and to the east of Masseria Li Strazzati, stands Masseria Bosco.

Although the toponym already appears in a notarial deed dated 16 September 1583 (Act Donato Pedarra - Inventory drawn up at the request of Claudia Camardaria of Gallipoli widow of Giovanni Pietro Alonzo for the protection of her children Marcello Geronimo, Antonia Anna and Livia) which reads: ( omissis) ”… one piece of land of approximately two ‘tomoli’ (the ancient agricultural tomolo measure used to measure surface area corresponds to about 8,573 square meters)  with vineyards and common trees in the feud of la vetrana in a place called the woods near the vineyards of Angelo di Falco…”, this does not authorize us to consider the existence of the masseria then.

The first date in our possession that unequivocally refers to the presence of the masseria can be found in the 'Liber baptizatorum' (register of the baptized) which on 25/12/1634 records the baptism of this Giovanni Schiavo del Levante (John slave of the Levant) - most likely a conversion to the Catholic faith - in Giovanni Bernardino Carrozzo's Masseria del Bosco.

The date reported above, therefore, gives us the latest date of possible construction of the masseria. The earliest possible date would seem to be no later than the sixteenth century. This limit is justified by the fortification carried out by the Pagano (feudal lords between 1500 and 1587, see above). This fortification favored the population’s abandonment of the countryside, as they were pushed to find safer shelter from the incursions that, from time to time, the pirates of Turkish origin carried out on the territory.

This situation, it seems, encouraged the large landowners (mainly ‘foreigners’, that is of non-Avetranese origin) to set up the masseria so that they could more actively preside over their territories and therefore be able to lodge and store their livestock, commodities and subjects (shepherds, peasants and 'massari') safely and soundly. The religious aspect of this construction was not neglected. In fact, the masseria often had small chapels incorporated where religious functions were carried out.

With the compilation of the Onciario Cadastre (1752) Masseria Bosco, together with Masseria Ruggiano (near the ‘Passaturo' region and where on April 22, 1797 King Ferdinand IV stopped on his way from Naples to Lecce) and Masseria Mascolo, it appears to be owned by Lucio Milizia who was from Oria but lived in Casalnovo (today known as Manduria). From this land registry we learn that the masseria is made up of living houses, pens and huts and extends to the following areas: La Geggiola (in this district, notes the parish priest of the time, a certain Vito Giusi died on 7 July 1771, after having fallen from his horse while on his way to Erchie), La Pasca, Il Bosco (consisting of twelve 'tomoli' - of scrub with holm oak trees and bordered on the east by the road that leads to Erchie - which, probably, gave it its name ‘Bosco’ meaning woods), and also Rubano, and il Boschetto. Two areas enclosed by walls): the Acquarello and the Palombaro. The Giardinetto, walled, extending for three ‘stoppelli’ (one stoppello was equivalent to 1/8 of a tomolo) and containing olive trees and fruit trees. Then twelve tomoli of scrub, 'jaccili' (clearings) for grazing, including the farmyard. The Foggia and finally the Calàprico.

On the basis of the data provided by the onciario Cadastre, we can conclude that Masseria Bosco had only one floor (in fact, in the description of Masseria Ruggiano it speaks of houses below and houses above) and extended over a total area of about 76 hectares, of which about 20 consisted of a forest of holm oaks, and an endowment of 175 olive trees. And, while it mentions the 'curti' (ie the pens for the shelter of animals), the land registry does not provide data on livestock.

We have no further news of subsequent events until we arrive at the Murattiano Cadastre (1814-1905) when the masseria is under the ownership of, together with the Ruggiano masseria, Bernardino Milizia, descendant of Lucio Milizia who appeared in the previous land registry. In the meantime, the properties of the farm were extended, going from the initial 76 hectares to about 103, of which about 17 are still left as Mediterranean scrub.

In 1817 the farm was owned by Antonio Milizia who had (1832): 120 sheep, 135 goats and 8 cows.

Between 1835, (the year in which 8 cows, 140 sheep, 140 goats are registered) and 1836 Cecilia Milizia, daughter of the previous owner, brings the farm as a dowry to Domenico Pondari who had, in the past, bought the other property of the Milizia family, that is, Masseria Ruggiano.

When in 1838 the masseria was owned by Salvatore Pondari, it extends over approximately 84 hectares. And in 1872 Masseria Bosco was held by the children of the previous owner, Domenico, Cecilia and Olimpia Pondari.

In 1881 Masseria Bosco changes hands and although it is not certain, it is likely a sale to the Martini da Oria family: Nicola, Vincenzo, Giacinto, Pasquale and Marianna fu Giulio. At the time, 29 hectares were arable land, 13 scrubland and 21 pastures.

Masseria Bosco: the structure

According to some classifications, the entire structure can be defined as a ‘masseria with an open court', that is, a masseria in which the structures used for various functions do not give rise to a closed courtyard. The planimetric examination of the structure gives rise to two distinct blocks: on one side of the high ‘massaro’ house, presumed to have been built at the end of the 18th century on the main floor, where the owners lived, and the other consisting of buildings suitable for the livestock. Furthermore, as some hypothesize, if we consider the original nucleus, what was used as a straw deposit and animal shelter up to the last century, the origin of the masseria must be considered an original 'jazzu' place, that is where shepherds and animals stopped to stay in transhumance in the autumn period (see the most recent case of the jazzo of Specchiarica which later turned into a farm and the ruins that remain just north of the Salina). How long this situation lasted is difficult to say. We can only venture a hypothesis if we affirm that in a period included in the 17th century, the ancient 'jazzo' was equipped with a stable (equipped with mangers and a large fireplace, where who knows how many stories were told) and with all the lower floor where the 'massaro', and the families of shepherds, 'ualani' or 'gualani'se herd conductors and peasants found shelter. Space was also given to the making of dairy products (here we see the introduction of 'lu cacculu', a large copper container for boiling milk through special heat pipes) and consequently there were storage areas for the conservation and maturation of the commodities.

From what we have learned, in 1634 there seems to have been a chapel where there once had been a storage area. At the end of the eighteenth century, the main floor was built, which was then partially modified before the last renovation.

Inside the courtyard, what stands out for its majesty and grandeur is one of the few examples of a 'dry' stone wall built at a height of over two meters, which once enclosed the 'garden' we previously mentioned, the stazzo - the ' corti '(pl.' li curti ') - where the small livestock generally stayed.

There is also a typical Salento trullo (different than the better-known ones of the Itria valley - Alberobello etc.), almost reminiscent of the Mesopotamian ziqqurat, which was generally used as a temporary shelter but in some cases was also used as a temporary dwelling.

In the space once dedicated to counting sheep, a relaxing swimming pool has been created. Outside the atrium you can see a stretch of the ancient mule path that led to Erchie and Oria and the farmyard where at one time, using the 'pisara' (large stone pulled by the mule) the ears of wheat were shelled and using the 'lu' intulaturu’ (tool for winnowing) the grains of wheat were separated from the chaff.

Currently the Masseria Bosco has been transformed into tourist accommodations: 12 rooms/suites have been created, some of which have splendid terraces with views.

Rooms and suites consist of a bedroom, bathroom and are equipped with air conditioning, hairdryers, satellite TVs, safes, minibars and telephones, and wifi.

The structure is divided into the:

• Hotel: on the first floor it consists of splendid suites and on the ground floor of special rooms for the guests
• Breakfast room: an area formerly used as a straw and hay deposit; now used as to serve breakfast to our guests
• Restaurant: once the old stable, now a dinning are where we serve the renown Apulian cuisine.

Masseria Bosco: The restaurant

Originally intended as a shelter for animals, the rooms of the Masseria Bosco still hold all the details of times past. As you walk through the first of the two rooms, which was used as a barn in the past, you can see some of these details, including particular architectural structural details.

You can see the openings in the ceiling that were used to fill the hayloft and three passages used by shepherds to count the animals during milking, which are now closed off as part of the kitchen space, also built in a large space that was once a part of the stables.

Many significant details can be seen in the stone with which they were built. The fossil of a sea urchin and some shells show that all these lands were once submerged by the sea.

Looking into the second room, formerly used as a stable, the detail that catches one’s eye is an opening in the floor, about 4 meters deep, used at the time as a hiding place for basic necessities, mainly wheat, produced in the Masseria.

It also served as a hiding place with escape routes to the outside.

Another peculiarity of the room is an old oven that was originally used to heat the rooms and later used as a kitchen oven.

Currently a small room that can accommodate up to 10 people, has been created in this oven and can be reserved for a private party on request.

Today these rooms, besides being a very welcoming restaurant, are considered small museums in which to observe the sixteenth century equipment and objects found here, most of which are located in the well in one of the rooms. The corner bar is very suggestive for the flooring made up of old hand-worked chianche (stone blocks) and a solid wood counter.

We thank Mr. Pietro Scarciglia for his help with the historical-cultural background.