Orchards, Trees & Orchard ProduceLincolnshire information
Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce
Lincolnshire information
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 recently 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, and take a look at the project web-site. They also sell trees.
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Church Farm Museum, Church Road South, Skegness PE25 2HF, +44(0)1754 766658 has orchards containing a number of Lincolnshire varieties of apple trees.
Cross O’Cliff Orchard Local Nature Reserve, edge of Lincoln (Grid ref: SK 975 688). A old standard orchard thought to be 150 years old and once in the grounds of a house, now owned by Lincolnshire County Council. The orchard was adopted as a Local Nature Reserve in the 1990s and is managed by the County Council and local residents. The orchard is of apple, pear and plum trees of traditional and local varieties. The fruit is collected and used by local residents. Dead trees are retained where it is safe to do so, hedges are being layed, areas of grass are left uncut, and wood piles left for wild life. Contact: Matthew Davey, Conservation Services, Linconshire County Council, City Hall, Lincoln LN1 1DN, +44(0)1522 554832, matthew.davey[at]lincolnshire.gov.uk
Hill Holt Wood, Norton Disney LN6 9JP. A 14 acre woodland run as a social enterprise with a small orchard. Management of the wood is controlled by a board of voluntary directors representing local communities, local councils and businesses. Although it is a small wood, a large number of people are employed through income generated by vocational training given to excluded, at risk or unemployed young people. The founders live at the woodland and are planning five eco-houses for employees. More trees are to be added of Lincolnshire varieties. There are regular events in the woods and there are plans to hold an Apple Day in the orchard in 2008. Contact: James Hay-Barr, Hill Holt Wood, Norton Disney LN6 9JP, +44(0)1636 892836, admin[at]hillholt.com or see www.hillholtwood.com
Stamford Community Orchard, end of Christchurch Close, off Green Lane, Stamford. The Stamford Community Orchard Project was set up in around 2003 with two small-scale cider makers and others with a range of skills and interests. The group became a registered charity and began raising funds to create a Community Orchard in the town. In the meantime they held Apple Day events over three years, which helped to raise funds and spread the word about the Community Orchard, increasing membership and support. The events even inspired plans for Community Orchards elsewhere, in Ketton and Corby. The group’s founder Richard Keeble was inspired to create a Community Orchard after reading a letter in the local press about the Stamford Apple. He researched the nurserymen who were based in Stamford in the past and found that at least 44 varieties were raised in the area. Some are present in the National Fruit Collection: Lord Burghley, Schoolmaster, Peasgood Nonsuch and Allington Pippin. The group searched for the right piece of land and in 2006 found it close to residents, two schools and next to a footpath. They leased the land from Kesteven District Council on a five year lease at a peppercorn rent. All the neighbouring houses were leafleted and no one objected to the orchard, the land having been using for dumping and dog fowling. In March 2007 thirty varieties of apple tree were planted with help from local school children. There are plans for espaliered apples against the fence, crab apples in the hedgerow, and plans to plant thirty or so more trees, as well as providing seating and hard standing. The council mows the grass while the Community Orchard group maintains the trees. An allotment was given to the group to establish a nursery of grafted trees and two group members have attended grafting courses. The group created a Community Orchard to help conserve local varieties for Stamford and to create a wild life habitat that is becoming rare, but they are also working to conserve old orchards in the town and creating a stock of local varieties to plant in the town. It is also hoped that he orchard will be used by local schools as a teaching resource. Contact: Richard Keeble, 7 Emlyns Street, Stamford PE9 1QP, 07775 720082, rkeeble[at]freenet.co.uk
Isaac Newton's Apple Tree at Woolsthorpe Manor (National Trust), Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth is one of our oldest varieties, descended from the tree which grew in Isaac Newton's garden there in the 1660s, a falling apple from which reputedly gave Newton (left) the idea for his Theory of Gravity. It is also known as the Gravity Tree and the Flower of Kent. Contact Woolsthorpe Manor, National Trust on +44(0)1476 860338.
Where to buy apples
and orchard produce
Belvoir Fruit Farms, Belvoir, Grantham NG32 1PB (+44(0)1476 870286) Peverel Manners. Fruit cordials and presses - especially elderflower - with fruit and juice from local farms. See their web-site.
Brandy Wharf Cider Centre, by the River Ancholme, Waddingham, Gainsborough DN21 4RU, +44(0)1652 678364. Ian & Gillian Horsley. A 200 year old canalside tavern specialising in the sale and celebration of cider and scrumpy. They sell the largest range - 60 ciders including 15 on draught.
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 Lincolnshire.
