Uncovering the layered history of Milton’s Mulberry tree.

A centuries-old black mulberry tree in the Fellows’ Garden of Christ’s College, Cambridge becomes the starting point for an exploration of literature, politics, botany, and historical memory. Long associated with John Milton, the tree is examined through interviews with scholars, archivists, gardeners, and students, who trace its connections to Milton’s years at Cambridge and to the wider world of seventeenth-century England.

The documentary follows two intertwined historical narratives: King James I’s ambitious attempt to establish a native silk industry by encouraging the planting of mulberry trees, and Milton’s emergence as one of England’s most influential poets and political thinkers. As archival records, literary texts, and botanical knowledge are brought together, the film considers how the tree came to symbolise both poetic tradition and radical thought.

Through discussions of Milton’s major works, including Lycidas and Paradise Lost, and of his political writings in defence of liberty and against censorship, the documentary shows how his ideas would later influence revolutionary thinkers far beyond England. At the same time, the mulberry itself is presented as a living witness to changing landscapes, myths, and acts of preservation, linking local college history to global stories of silk, trade, and intellectual legacy.