Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce

Cambridgeshire information

Where to get help

The East of England Apples and Orchards Project began life as the Norfolk Apples and Orchards project and was set up to promote a greater awareness of Norfolk's apple heritage. It has now extended its brief to cover the other Eastern counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. They are surveying the area's existing orchards and helping to establish new orchards with Eastern county varieties - they produce a most comprehensive range of local apples and pears. Contact them for details of price and stock availability. They also organise Apple Day celebrations. Contact Clare Stimson or Martin Skipper at School House, Rougham, Kings Lynn PE32 2SE, or call +44(0)1328 838403 or visit their web-site.

Orchards and Community Orchards to visit

Stands the Church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea? Watch the fruit trees growing whilst having a cup of tea at Orchard Tea Gardens in Granchester, open 7 days a week, +44(0)1223 845788. (illustration by Glen Baxter from Common Ground's PULP!)

Cambourne Community Orchard (below left), next to allotments in Country Park between Great and Lower Cambourne, Cambridge. An orchard of 36 half-standard fruit trees planted in 2005 next to new allotments for the new settlement of Cambourne, on land provided by the Cambourne Consortium.  The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough established the orchard with help from local residents. The developers had pulled the plug on funding the orchard when the development was completed so many people donated money for the trees including at Randall Thorp landscape architect in Manchester, the company who drew up the orchard plans. Apples, pears, plums, damsons and cherries have been planted, all local varieties sourced from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project, who also gave advice. Apple varieties include Lord Peckover, Histon Favourite, Cotenham Codlin, St Everard, Chivers Delight and Barnack Beauty. The Wildlife Trust is responsible for management which is carried out organically with wildlife in mind. Pathways are mown, a wildflower mix has been sown, insect homes installed, fruit blossom attracts insects, deadwood attracts invertebrates, and there are breeding birds in the hedgerows. When the trees begin to crop well, the fruit will be left for local people to collect. Preparation and planting days have involve local people and further community events are planned. It is hoped the orchard will also provide an education resource as well as playing its part in meeting the targets of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Cambridgeshire which calls for new orchards to be planted. Contact: Jenny Mackay, Cambourne Officer, Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs, Northants & Peterborough, Manor House, Broad Street, Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB3 6DH, +44(0)1954 713500, jenny.mackay[at]wildlifebcnp.org or see www.wildlifebcnp.org

Harston Community Orchard (left, photo by permission of The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Biodiversity Partership), Harston, Cambridge. An old traditional orchard on land behind the recreation field, owned by the parish council and managed by Cambridge Green Belt Project with help from local volunteers. The old trees are thought to be Bramleys and Laxton Superb apples, with a distinctive habit, branching fro the base. New plantings will be chosen to complement the existing trees. The orchard has meadow, scrub and hedgerows, all managed for people and wild life. The meadow is cut for hay annually and there are bee orchids and common spotted orchids present as well as meadow sweet, wild basil, agrimony, kidney vetch, lady’s bedstraw, cut-leaved cranesbill and self heal.  A moth trapping event revealed that over 100 species use the orchard including elephant hawk moth, privet hawk moth and the buff tip. Some of the scrub has been cut back, revealing two more old trees in 2003. There is full public access. Regular events include work days and Apple Day. Contact: Cambridge Green Belt Project, c/o the Wildlife Trust for Cambridgeshire, The Manor House, Broad Street, Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB3 6DH, +44(0)1954 713530 or greenbelt[at]wildlifebcnp.org

Little Downham Community Orchard, off Hurst Lane, Little Downham, near Ely. A 1 hectare orchard planted in December 2005 in the village of Little Downham, once a fruit growing area. The land is owned by Cambridgeshrie County Council and leased on a 60-year lease to Little Downham Parish Council.  The land was previously used for grazing and is next to a local nature reserve. Management of the orchard is the responsibility of Downham Parish Conservation Group. A Rural Enterprise Scheme 80% grant, administered by Defra, and  top up from the village Feoffees charity, funded the 60 years rent that was requested up-front from the County Council, plus disabled access, an interpretation board and leaflets available in a box at the orchard. There is full public access. The trees are widely spaced standards. Cambridgeshire varieties were chosen including Chivers Delight, Cockett’s Red, Wayside, Histon Favourite, Lady Hollendale, Lord Peckover, St Everard, lady Hollendale, Thoday’s Quarenden, Green Harvey, Cottenham Seedling, Morley’s Seedling, Murfitt’s Seedling, Red Victoria, New Rock Pippin and Perfection. There is also Barnack Beauty and Lord Burghly from Northamptonshire and Huntingdon Codling from Huntingdonshire.  Plus Warden and Princess pears and Polstead Black and Caroon cherries from neighbouring counties. Pruning guidance was given by the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. The fruit is freely available to parishioners. There are volunteer work days and monthly meetings of the Conservation Group. Swathes of grass are cut during the growing season, and in the dormant season 75% of the grass is cut, rotating around the orchard over the years.  Hedgerow on south and west boundaries is trimmed on a two-three year basis and a new hedge of wild pear, cherry, crab apples and other native species was planted in the winter of 2007 on the eastern side. Mown walkways lead to the local nature reserve. There are two ponds within the orchard and local nature reserve, one is wet all year round the other seasonal. Bullfinches, a biodiversity target species are being encouraged, and areas of longer grass are left to encourage invertebrates. The Community Orchard has won a biodiversity award from The Cambridge Evening news. The orchard is used for picnics, and there is a large oak table in its centre. The local school and local Wildlife Watch group have had bird and bat watching events in the orchard. Contact: Keith Norton, Chair of Downham Parish Conservation Group, Honeysuckle Cottage, 86 Cannon Street, Little Downham, Ely CB6 2SS, or contact the parish clerk on +44(0)1353 649499 or see www.littledownham.net

Myrtle House Farm, Terrington St John, near Wisbech has a range of orchards from the mid 20th Century to more modern planting, under Defra's Environmental Stewardship Scheme. There are permissive footpaths around the orchards.

Willock Farm, near Wisbech has a mature traditional orchard with 38 varieties including Emneth Early, Newton Wonder, Lord Lambourne, Lane's Prince Albert. The orchard provides a rich habitat and is home to rare invertebrates. The farm is under Countryside Stewardship followed by the new Environmental Stewardship and so has designated permissive routes around the orchard.

Wimpole Hall, Arrington, Royston SG8 0BW, +44(0)1223 207257. This National Trust property has a collection of walnut varieties around the Walled Garden and Pleasure Grounds. The estate was historically planted with walnuts including a walnut avenue. See their web-site.

Where to buy apples and produce

Cambridge Organic Food Company run a box scheme of organic fruit and veg, eggs, flour and other produce. Their apples, Bramley, Spartan and Lord Lambourne, are grown at their own organic orchard at Aston Organic Orchard, Risby, Bury St. Edmunds, which was converted to organic status in 1988. They also source apples from Farmer Kit's Organics, Little Bowsers Farm, Little Walden, Saffron Walden. Contact Cambridge Organic Food Co. on +44(0)1223 873300 or info[at]cofco.co.uk

Cassels Cider,72 High Street, Great Shelford, Cambridge CB2 5EH, +44(0)1223 842373. Attend Apple Day events annually where there hot mulled cider proves vey popular.

La Hogue Farm Shop, Chippenham, 3 miles north of Newmarket. Produce sourced locally and seasonally where possible. Fruit and vegetables, dairy, wines and ales, meat and game. Contact the shop on 01638 751128.

Old Bill's Ciders, Lodge Farm, Coltenham, +44(0)1223832928 or email Max Campbell at max. campbell [at] totalise. co. uk. A small scale traditional cider maker.

Watergull Orchards in Sutton-in-the-Isle, Ely is a small family business producing around 30 single variety juices including Grenadier, Lord Lambourne, Howgate Wonder, Laxton's Fortune, plus apple & elderflower, apple & spiced elderberry, apple & ginger, apple & cranberry and apple & blackcurrant. They use fruit from their own orchards plus old orchards within Cambridgeshire. Watergull attend lots of Apple Day events including Cambridge University Botanic Gardens and Fenton House in Hampstead, London, as well as instigating the Apple Day in Ely. The juice is supplied to National Trust properties in the region, and is available in many shops and farmshops and at Farmers' Markets in East Anglia and London. Contact +44(0)01353 777700 for details or see www.englishapplejuice.sageweb.co.uk

For details of Farmers' Markets in Cambridgeshire see the Farmers' Market web-site.

For more information on local produce, contact Tastes of Anglia (+44(0)1473 785883) or look at their web-site.

Where to buy trees

Trees can be purchased from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. Contact: treesales [at] applesandorchards. org. uk or call +44(0)1328 838403 for a catalogue of 170 varieties local to the East of England.

You can order trees mail order from a number of nurseries that stock a wide range including:
Keepers Nursery in Kent +44(0)1622 726465 or see their web-site.
Thornhayes in Devon +44(0)1884 266746 or see their web-site.

Please let us know if you know of a good fruit tree nursery in Cambridgeshire : email info [at] commonground.org.uk