The New Order

During the 17th century, Sierra Cabrera became an inhospitable place, de-populated and plagued by wolves. However a tremendous effort was also put in during this and the 18th century to clear large areas and build new terraces. Like Great Britain, Spain has suffered a gradual disappearance of its forests during the course of history. At one time Iberia was thickly wooded over almost half its surface with oaks, junipers and evergreens. The long process of deforestation started with the Romans, as trees were cut down both for use as fuel and for timber to feed the insatiable appetite of Roman mining. The terracing was an attempt to minimise erosion of the topsoil as well as to help hold water.

Throughout the 18th century a series of epidemics like bubonic plague and yellow fever struck the area, taking many lives and obviously contributing to further depopulation.

Familiar names of Cortijos first appear in the records in the late 18th century: Cortijo de las Lironas (today del Blanco), Cortijos del Trobal, Cortijo de Cabrera, Cortijos de Cortetes, Cortijos de Huerta Seca, Cortijos de La Carrasca, Cortijo del Dondo, Cortijos de las Tablas, Cortijos de los Moralicos, Cortijo de Limpia (today Cortijo Grande) and Cortijo de la Herradura, all still standing, but some are better preserved than others.

The next significant chapter in the history of Sierra Cabrera is its annexation by Turre. This took place during the period 1813 to 1840. Several attempts were made in this period to place the Sierra Cabrera under the jurisdiction of Turre rather than Vera. 1813 saw the first attempt at incorporation, 1820 the second attempt, and only in 1837 came the last and eventually successful attempt. On 27 May 1840, the delimitations were finally agreed.

Between 1837 and 1856, the newly discovered silver mines around Cuevas de Almanzora attracted some attention. This was the golden period for the mining industry after a vein of silver was also found in 1838 in Jaroso Gulley in Sierra Almagrera, near Vilaricos. Up to the 1914/18 war various minerals were extracted from Jaroso, but mainly silver, lead and iron ore. This also led to some small-scale prospecting and mining in the Sierra Cabrera, and the signs of extraction can still be seen in places today.

Garrucha grew up in this period as a harbour for shipping the ore. One can talk of a period of large investment, not only in property, but also in agricultural infrastructure and new irrigation channels. Some industries also grew up, such as the production of barrels, esparto from dried grass, basketwork and the growing of grapes and oranges.

The Royal Treasury sold off the land in Cabrera in lots and a new era of cultivation began in the second half of the 19th century, the golden years under land owners such as Ramon Orozco, Manuel Soler Serafin Cervantes, Nicolás de los Rios and others.

The population of Turre (including Cabrera) reached a total of about 4,000 in 1910. If we compare these figures with the present, we find that there were approximately 1000 more inhabitants in the area than just a decade ago and the figures have still not recovered despite the recent influx of newcomers from Britain and other parts of northern Europe. As life was getting much better for most people in Europe during the 20th century, it was getting harder for the people of Andalucía, so the natural result was emigration. People moved away to the Spanish cities or abroad. The demise of farming on the Sierra during the last half century is clear for all to see, and indeed it is that very decline in traditional agriculture that opened the way for the creation of the modern Cabrera.

This page is based on an article written in 1996 by runo Ravander for the Cabrera Courier.

Tel.: +34 647 901 478 - Email: enquiries@santiburi-properties.com