The
history of Masseria Canestrello
On
the old yellowing map documenting the boundary lines of the farm,
property of his Excelency Prince D. Alfonso Doria Pamphili, the land
carries the name of Posta Fissa di Canestrello.
The
old map of the property of Canestrello
Originally
a sheep farm, the shepherds came here to produce and work the milk.
Numerous flocks of sheep, journeying across the old tracks, would
leave the cold mountain grazing fields in Abruzzo and head towards
the plains of Puglia, there to spend the winter season.
It was the seasonal rite of transhumance which repeated itself every
year, an adventurous migration involving thousands of heads of animals.
The shepherds accompanied their flocks with dogs, horses and artisan
workers. They travelled south in winter and returned towards the north
in summer.
A
flock in movement. From a commercial publication dating to the beginning
of the 1900s.
The
tracks were well marked, just like real highways, 111 metres wide
and thousands of kilometres long, with stops for grazing, drinking,
and for sleeping during the night.
The Masseria Canestrello was on one of these tracks. Those who controlled
that migration of animals secured a good income by the taxes placed
on each animal. For this same reason, since old times, the different
lords in power throughout the ages have tried to regulate the migration
of the flocks.
A
flock in movement.
n°6 de LE VIE D'ITALIA-Giugno
1940
On
the Tavoliere, an extensive plain which served as grazing ground,
and for a long time frequented only by shepherds, the farms played
a very important role, sometimes even as defence posts, especially
during the long months of isolation.
At the side of the entrance of our farm there used to be two big,
threatening embrasures, from where the keeper would aim his gun at
any brigand or vagabond who neared the place with evil intentions.
Masseria Canestrello
The
Emperor Charles V (1500-1558) granted this vast territory, which ran
from Puglia and Basilicata, to the Doria Princes, who kept it under
their control until 1919.
These princes, originally from Genoa, whose coat of arms is still
visible as set on the walls of Masseria Canestrello, probably never
even lived on these lands of Puglia and Basilicata which were instead
supervised and managed by a governor
of their choice.
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