Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce

Cheshire

John Gittins (Executive Director, Cheshire Orchard Project) writes:
"Cheshire is not, in a national context regarded as an area renowned for fruit growing. It does not spring to mind as readily as Kent or Herefordshire, but for all that, Cheshire has a rich history of fruit growing from nursery production to market sales. However, to date we already know of 32 apple cultivars, which have been developed in the County and no doubt there are more. We know very little about varieties of pear but our Cheshire Damson is relished far and wide.

You do not have to travel far in rural Cheshire to appreciate that most of the older farms, small holdings and cottages still have the remains of orchard trees either in the garden hedgerow or in grassy paddocks set close to the house. With large areas of the County containing residential housing dating from the mid-Victorian period through to pre-Second World War, it was common practice to include fruit trees and orchards in the garden landscape schemes, and some of these trees still survive. Fruit evidence is also to be found on Ordnance Survey maps and in field names across the county.

Up to the late 1940s, the large conurbations of Manchester and Liverpool were supplied with much of their fresh fruit from local sources, but in line with the rest of the country, most of the fruit now comes from abroad.

The Cheshire Orchard Project was launched in the early 1990s, reflecting as it does a groundswell of feeling for local distinctiveness. A major landmark was the production in 1995 of a book edited by the Cheshire Federation of Women's Institutes entitled 'Orchards of Cheshire', a rich compendium of knowledge and memories, of traditions and customs compiled by a wide range of local people and organisations. The book is an outstanding success story and has fuelled the search for 'lost' local varieties of apples and pears.

The Cheshire Orchard Project is coordinated by the Cheshire Landscape Trust and uses the expertise of TLG Orchards to propagate old Cheshire varieties of apple trees at their specialist nursery near Nantwich, in the heart of rural Cheshire. Thirty-four new orchards have been planted by the Trust since 1994.

Apple cultivars developed in Cheshire include: Arthur Barnes, Bee Bench, Bostock Orange, Burr Knot, Celia, Chester Pearmain, Chester Pippin, Eccleston Pippin, Elton Beauty, Gooseberry Pippin, Grange's Pearmain, Hazelby's Seedling, Lord Clyde, Lord Derby, Mere de Menage (Lord Combermere), Millicent Barnes, Minshull Crab, Moston Seedling, Open Heart, Rakemaker, Renown, Rival, Rose of Sharon, Royal Seedling, Rymer, Scarlet Pearmain, Shaw's Pippin, Sure Crop, Wareham Russet, Watlingford Pippin, Windsor Castle and Withington Welter".

Cheshire’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan, launched in 2003 includes a Habitat Action Plan for traditional orchards, prepared by Cheshire Landscape Trust. The objectives of the plan are to sustain and enhance existing orchards, promote a network of Community Orchards, and to promote the importance of orchards and fruit growing. BAPs for the UK are in response to the Rio earth Summit of 1992 in which 154 countries committed to conserve and enhance the UK’s biological diversity. For more information on BAPs see the BAP web-site.

For more information, contact John Gittins (Executive Director) or Katie Lowe (Project Officer), Cheshire Orchard Project (Cheshire Landscape Trust), Fountains Building, Upper Northgate Street, Chester, Cheshire, CHI 4EF. Tel: +44(0)1244 376333, Fax: +44(0)1244 376016. Contact the Cheshire Orchard Project for details of orchard skills courses.

"It was common practice in Cheshire to plant damson trees in cottage gardens as hedgerow trees on farms. During the third weekend in September, known as Wakes' Weekend, the first damson pies are baked.'
From Orchards of Cheshire, edited by the Cheshire Federation of Women’s Institutes and available through the Cheshire Landscape Trust.

*NEWS* Scions from over 40 heritage varieties including some old Cheshire varieties are available from Trafford Drive Allotments Community Orchard. They can be collected or sent out in March to anyone interested in grafting them on to rootstocks. Free of charge. Contact Mary Eastwood on +44(0)161 9699931.

Apple Day Events
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Where to buy apples and orchard produce
Dishes to look out for ...
Where to buy fruit trees
Some Cheshire Fruit