Sadly, many of our orchards in Herefordshire and Worcester have been grubbed-up over the past century. Some of this is due to neglect or more popular varieties of fruit being imported from abroad, with another culprit being development and change of land use.
Interestingly, archaeological investigations in 2015 confirmed knowledge that a large orchard, spanning over twenty-one acres, once stood in the grazing fields behind the manor house here which has since been lost. Since 2018, we have been working alongside the local community to reinstate these lost Victorian orchards but with a modern twist. We have now completed this project, and over 700 trees have been planted into three fields, including field maple, hazel, elder and blackthorn, as well as many varieties of apple, damson, pear, plum and quince.
We have installed three kilometres of accessible paths, which start in the historic damson orchard near the manor house and continue on into the newly replanted fields. They also wind their way through the original ‘reimagined orchard’ which was designed and created by artist Walter Jack, in collaboration with Rathbone Partnership, back in 2019. Walter Jack designed the first orchard by creating five chambers which will eventually be surrounded by lowland meadow. Each chamber features unusual and rare varieties of fruit, specially chosen to tell the story of the eating apple, from its origins in Kazakhstan through to its well-known and traditional use as the Herefordshire cider apple.
Beyond the apple core, you can explore seven orchard rooms containing natural play areas, where little adventurers can now run, jump and skip among the young trees. Following the natural play trail, you will be drawn to discover the furthest corners of the orchards.
In years past, orchards were very important to local economies. The annual fruit harvest brought a bounty in which was enjoyed throughout the year. Apple orchards gave the people the means to make cider, juice, and cider vinegar which can be used as a preserving aid, disinfectant and in medicine. This is represented by the 'Herefordshire Bull' Trow which sits at the heart of the new orchard. Trows were once used to transport goods, including fruit, from Herefordshire along the River Severn and the River Wye. This replica boat was built by T. Nielson & Co and was kindly gifted to the National Trust by the Herefordshire Community Foundation. You can now climb aboard the Trow and imagine you are sailing down the river with your cargo of orchard fruit.