|
|
 |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
The Orchard Revival
|
![]() |
|
A Report on the Cheshire Conference—
The original conference had been delayed because of the Foot and Mouth Epidemic, so it was with quite some relief to finally drive down to Cheshire to meet all those people I had heard about, but never met.
The meeting was held in Norton Priority Museum, near Runcorn—at first glance an unprepossessing area of dull countryside surrounded by a web of motorways and industry. The arrival in a dusty car park did absolutely nothing to prepare me for the history that was about to unfold all around me!
Eight hundred years ago Norton Priory was home to a community of Augustinian brothers. Much of their beautiful building was torn down to make way for a grand 18th century house—which in its turn has utterly disappeared from the landscape.
The ghosts of both eras lie tantalisingly in the surrounding gardens. The fantastic 2.5 acre walled garden was built in 1757 and features an orchard of named historical varieties. It includes quinces, walnuts, medlars, pears and apples—most of them set amongst grass, but some are cordoned. Rose beds and huge herb areas are enhanced by sculptures of geese and pigs. A magnificent tunnel arch consists only of named apple varieties—and at the time of my visit last October was both fruiting and flowering!
Such was my introduction to an historically-rich area of Cheshire that turned out to be a major orchard region in the past—there are already 32 varieties of apple known in Cheshire! In the surrounding rural areas it is still common to find each cottage garden has its own plum, pear and apple trees, and most farms had a productive orchard.
A lively and proactive “Cheshire Landscape Trust” is succeeding in raising awareness of this history. Its Cheshire Orchard Project, for instance, offers funds for setting up school and community orchards. Via the Parish Tree Wardens they have planted 40 orchards (500 trees) since 1994. We’ve got a long way to go in Scotland to catch up with such dedicated enthusiasm.
History of Orchards in the Landscape
Terry Lily, a retired lecturer from the Manchester Metropolitan University, reminded delegates that fruit growing was a very old craft. At Petworth House in Sussex, there is a quote in old records dating from 1376 confirming the purchase of fruit trees for an orchard: “2s8d for 2 gross apples—251 apple trees, 24 pear trees and tar to paint around the tree trunks to stop rabbits”.
It was common—especially in the 18th century and possibly earlier—for fruit to be grafted onto ‘wild trees’ in hedges; throughout the UK now there are still remnants of these old hedges—Cumbria is famous for its plum hedges, Norfolk its apple hedges. Are there areas like this in Scotland, I wonder?
Anecdotes
Tony Gentil proved that our interest in the how fruit varieties are named can lead us on a merry dance. A Cheshire apple “The Bee Bench” has proved to be very difficult to explain. He came up with all sorts of possibilities, but had to leave it up in the air, offering only a possible explanation of the apples (which are small green and very sweet) being left to ripen in the shelter of old bee skep ledges (bee benches); if anyone knows better, let me know!
Another amazingly named pear is commonly called Toadback, but research has led to its original name, the Bergamot Bufo which is an old French pear known in Anjou in 1600. Did the Cistercians bring it to Britain in Norman times perhaps? It is at risk of being lost in England as it is a hard, sour pear—may be it was used to make perry or perhaps verjuice? Again, if anyone knows, let Central Core know so that we can pass on the information.
And to close this section, at Styal Mill, a NT property in Cheshire, recipes for dying textiles include the Hazel Pear which was used in the past for this purpose. Perhaps the Toadback had a similar use that we are now not aware of?
The Future for Integrating Orchards into 21st century life
Elsewhere in the Bulletin we have mentioned Cadbury’s “apple tree in each garden” policy. In England at least, it is now beginning to happen more widely. An LA21 project in Frodsham, Cheshire, is putting the fruit trees back into “Orchard Close”, a new housing development.
In some areas a slightly different approach is being used. School orchards are being planted and the children encouraged to get involved in caring for them during school time. Then a year or so later, a community orchard in the same area is proposed, with the children and their parents being asked first. If deemed a good idea, the children are then involved in planting the new community orchard and the wider community encouraged to join in. In this way, vandalism is hardly ever a problem.
The resurgence for orchards on a wider landscape level is now under way in Cheshire at least. The Mersey Forest (Forestry Commission), with the Cheshire Landscape Trust, is re-establishing an orchard at a farm that abuts the forest. Orchards are being specified in LA21 Plans—safeguarding the old and planting new.
Developers and garden centres are being encouraged to ‘think fruit trees’ and to display them at showhouses in a variety of settings—from a ‘wildlife corner’ resplendent with wild flowers, fruit tree, nestbox and garden seat, to a patio with barbeque, windowboxes of herbs and a pot or tub with a local variety fruit tree in it.
Crewe University has included a Millennium Orchard on its campus and involved everyone from the Principal and staff and students in preparing the ground, planting the trees and caring for them afterwards.
The health, social and economic interests are being highlighted. There is even a role in just satisfying the need for countryside enhancement which can be seen from just driving or walking by—people’s spirits are raised by the sight of apple blossom in the spring and a tree laden with fruit in the autumn. [CL]
Autumn 2002
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
