The Church Orchard

The Church Orchard is at the southern edge of Church Field, on the area between Town Beck and Church Street. In the 1980’s it was overgrown and wild, and the then Rector Dennis Shaw and the late Derek Law, who lived in Watersmeet House overlooking Church Field, decided to create an orchard there. Derek was inspired by the writings of 18th Century cleric Revd. Gilbert White, specifically the book Garden Kalender in which White recorded the work and produce of his rectory orchard which he used freely to supplement the diets of his poorer parishioners. White’s orchard contained what were the latest fruit varieties in his day.

The Addingham site was far from ideal – partly sloping, north-facing and subject to frost, weed-filled and containing dumped building rubble, tarmac and general rubbish.  It took Derek six months to clear the ground ready for planting.

He started by trial and error, to see what grew best, and used a mixture of fruit varieties, some ancient and some more modern but all grown in the manner of a traditional English orchard. He was helped in this endeavour through the years by a team of volunteers, assisting to keep the ground clean to avoid pests, pruning, harvesting, and distributing the crop.

Fruit varieties

The orchard contains a wide range of top fruit, stone fruit and soft fruit.

Apples: Discovery, George Cave, Red Melba, Michaelmas Red, Baker’s Delicious, James Grieve, Katya, Ellison’s Orange, Laxton’s Fortune, Egremont Russet, Tom Putt, Norfolk Royal, Pitsmaston Pineapple, Laxtons’s Superb, Wyken Pippen, Wagener, Keswick Coolin, Rev W Wilks, Stirling Castle, Lord Derby, Grenadier, Golden Noble, Early Victoria, George Neal, Striped Beefing, Annie Elizabeth.

Pears: Dr Jules Guyot, Fertility Improved, Beurre Hardy, Conference,  Doyenne du Comice, Packham’s Triumph.

Plums: Oullin’s Gage, Victoria, French Gage,  Coe’s Golden Drop, Ontario, Count Althann’s Gage, Giant Prune,  Warwickshire Drooper, Opal.

Damson: Merryweather.

Medlar: Nottingham.

Quince: Portugal.

Cherry: Governor Wood, Merton Bigarreau, Stella.

Nuts: Nottingham Cob, Lambert’s Filbert, White Filbert, Cosford Cob, Sweet Chestnut.

Peaches: Peregrine, Rochester, Red Haven.

Apricot: Moor Park Early.

Fig: Marseilles White, Brown Turkey.

Blackberry: John Innes, Oregon Thornless.

Redcurrant: Red Lake, Jonkheer van Tets.

White Currant: White Versailles.

Blackcurrant: Ben Sarek, Ben Lomond.

Raspberry: Glen Clova, Autumn Bliss.

Rhubarb: Timperly Early, Cawood Castle.

High Bush Blueberry: Bluecrop, Bluetta, Herbert, Berkeley.

Loganberry

Tayberry

Gooseberry: Invicta, Leveller, White Smith, Lancashire Lad.

Strawberry: Elsanta, Aromel.

Harvest

Birds raid some of the fruit, but there is plenty to go round – in a good year the crop can be as much as eight tons of apples and pears and many pounds of soft fruit. In the early days, some were reluctant to share in the orchard’s produce, preferring fruit of more uniform appearance from the supermarket over the delicious taste of fresh homegrown local harvest, but nowadays there is no shortage of appreciative recipients for the fruit the orchard produces.

Visiting the orchard

The Church Orchard is open to visitors on special occasions – keep an eye out for details! (Please, don’t enter the orchard at other times unless you are one of the volunteers who help to maintain it.) The fruit tree blossoms are complemented by bulbs and roses planted around the orchard so that it is a delight to behold.

Volunteering

Can you volunteer to help maintain this traditional orchard? Many hands make light work! To find out more, please get in touch.

Get in touch

email to churchorchard@btinternet.com

text to 07957 361 193

phone the Church Office on 01943 830 306

PLEASE NOTE : the bridge from Church Field into the orchard is currently UNSAFE – please do not use it!