St Mildred in the Poultry was the burial place of the writer Thomas Tusser. Ghatal was once famous for the manufacture of cotton, tusser silk, bell-metal utensils, and earthenware. English farmer Thomas Tusser notes the turkey being among farmer's fare at Christmas in 1573. Thomas Tusser noted that in 1573 turkeys were eaten at Christmas dinner. Tusser died on 3 May 1580 at the age of about 55.