Orchards were included as a national Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in 2007. They have been identified as a local BAP habitat in South Gloucestershire because of the importance of orchards within the authority. The Action Plan can be downloaded from the 'Biodiversity Action Plan' page. Historically orchards occurred throughout South Gloucestershire with high concentrations around Hanham, Kingswood, Bitton, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne, the whole Severnside and most of the smaller villages. Concentrations of orchards across the country have been found in Kent, Devon, Somerset and the three counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The concentration of old orchards in ‘former’ Gloucestershire (including present day South Gloucestershire) is therefore of national importance.
Orchards are a distinctive part of South Gloucestershire's heritage, making a significant contribution to biodiversity, landscape character and local distinctiveness. Some areas have distinctive fruit varieties. The apple ‘Eden’ was developed in Rockhampton and there is a plum variety specific to Frampton/ Winterbourne. The most important orchard sites for wildlife are the older, traditional orchard sites with standard trees, because these tend to be neglected and contain over mature trees of a variety of species including apple, pear and plum. They support many insect species and a wide range of bird and bat species. Modern orchards, often consisting of small, bush trees intensively managed with pesticides, are of much more limited value for wildlife.
An estimated ninety per cent of South Gloucestershire's old orchards have been lost in the last 75 years. Old orchards mostly remain as small numbers of remnant trees and even an individual fruit tree can be an important wildlife and landscape feature. Today small managed orchards exist mainly in gardens, schools and community nature reserves and there are very few large commercial orchards left.
Orchards can be protected under Tree Preservation Orders, Environmental Impact Assessment regulations and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Events in 2011
Organising an Apple Pressing event?
Tuesday 12th September 2011 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm
Grimsbury Farm Café, Grimsbury Community Farm, Grimsbury Rd, Kingswood, BS15 9SE
Each year more and more communities in the South Gloucestershire are organising community events to celebrate the culture heritage of apples and other produce that are grown locally. Apple days have grown and grown in popularity and we’re delighted to be able to support you in helping promote and organise your event.
To ensure you have a safe and enjoyable day we are organising a three hour evening course, led by Iain Ferris, Food Safety Officer, South Gloucestershire Council to highlight best practice.
It will be an evening packed with opportunities to network with other groups, learn, share ideas and successes and find out where you can loan equipment for organising your event.
To reserve a place please email Johnv.morris@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 863581.
Cider Making Tour - booking required
Saturday 1 October 11am and 2pm
Riddle’s Cider, Oak Farm, Oldbury Lane, Thornbury BS35 1RD Tel: 07877 413298
Tour a cider orchard and learn to identify varieties of apples such as Yarlington Mill and Sheep’s Nose. Watch a 100 year old cider press in action. Max 30 per tour. Tel: 07877 413298 to book
Come and make your own Cider - booking required
Saturday 8 October 11am and 3pm
The Sherston Cider Co. The Vineyard, Sherston SN16 0PY Tel: 07817 645 761
Following a tour of the orchard, the group will mill and press vintage cider apples to make your own
cider to take away with you. £5 fee but each person will leave with 5 litres of fermenting apple juice. Max 15 per tour. Tel: 07817 645 761 to book a place.
Orchard Harvest Day
Sunday 9 October 10.30am-3.30pm
Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Church Lane, Winterbourne BS36 1SE www.winterbournebarn.co.uk
Celebrate the richness and variety of English fruit at this 14th century historic barn with a working 200 yr old cider press. Lots of events and stalls on the day with activities for children – fun for all ages.
Apple picking - The Scrumping Project - booking required
Saturday 15th October 9am-1pm
Meet in the car park at the Oldbury Power Station - short walk to their apple orchard, Oldbury Naite, Oldbury-on- Severn BS35 1RQ
Join in a fun day out picking apples to be processed into apple juice and cider – and help bring under-used orchards back into life. Good family day out. Wear suitable footwear and clothes.
Tel: 07885 214291 to book.
Pressing/Apple day Grimsbury farm
Sunday 16 October 10am-3pm
Grimsbury Farm, Grimsbury Road, near Baden Road, Kingswood BS15 9SE www.orchardeye.com
Bring your own apples - or those you got from friends/ neighbours back gardens (asking first!). Have them pressed by the Scrumping Project and take away a bottle of your own apple juice! Or leave your apples for the Scrumping Project to make into cider. Either way, it’ll be a good day out. There is no limit on numbers to join in the apple peeling and pressing.
National Apple Day
Friday 21st October
Events being held around South Gloucestershire schools and the Council's new offices in Yate.
Please call John Morris on 01454 863581 for further details.
Community orchards in South Gloucestershire
There is growing demand from local people wishing to turn small parcels of land into orchards, where people of all ages can come and sit and enjoy the open space and reap the rewards in the autumn by collecting the free fruit. South Gloucestershire Council supports this popular movement by providing advice and funding (where appropriate) to enable groups to set up orchards in their area.
There are a number of community orchards already established in the area, supported by a network of local people who help manage them:
• Winterbourne (Frampton) Community Orchard,
(managed by Mr Fruit in conjunction with South Gloucestershire Council)
Grid Ref: 366700, 181875 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS36 2AB
• Thornbury Community Orchard,
(managed by Sustainable Thornbury in conjunction with South Gloucestershire Council)
Grid Ref: 364487, 191041 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS35 1JY
• Cock Road Ridge
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Friends of Cock Road Ridge)
Grid Ref: Post code for nearest access point to orchard:
• Wick Village Hall
Grid Ref: 370343, 172740 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS30 5RG
• Willsbridge Mill
(leased to Avon Wildlife Trust)
Grid Ref: 366469,170682 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS30 6EX
• Leap Valley, Downend
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Friends of Leap Valley)
Grid Ref: 365429, 178265 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS16 6PZ
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8374000/8374637.stm
• Grimsbury Farm, Kingswood
(owned by SGC &managed in partnership with the Friends of Grimsbury Farm)
Grid Ref: 366349,173170 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS15 9SE
• Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve Community Orchard, Bradley Stoke
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group & Green Gym)
Grid Ref: 362507,182167 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS32 9BS
• Patchway Common Community Orchard, Common East, Bradley Stoke
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with Patchway Conservation Group)
Grid Ref: 361365,182392 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS32 9DN
If you know of any other community orchards in South Gloucestershire we would love to hear more about them.
Surveying Orchards - New for Autumn 2011
South Gloucestershire Council has teamed up with the People's Trust for Endangered Species to help the charity in their Nationwide quest to discover how many orchards are left in the country and what condition they are in. Studies of aerial photographs have shown up to 314 possible orchard sites in the district. Recent surveys of historical maps dating back to the Second World War show over 800 orchards in South Gloucestershire.
To find out the exact number of Orchards we have left in South Gloucestershire and to assess what condition they are in we need your help. Working with Parish Councils, we will launch a district wide project on National Apple Day (21st October) to get the survey underway. In order to cover the area we are looking for volunteers to help us. No experience is required and training can be provided. If you would like to help with this worthwhile project then please contact us on 01454 863581.
Apple Orchard Advice Booklet - now available
The popular advice booklet on how to manage apple orchards has been revised and updated. Containing useful contact details for suppliers of traditional local apple varieties, information on pruning and grant funding, the booklet is a good introduction to orchard management. The booklet will be made available at orchard events or by contacting the Council. You can also view and download a copy of the booklet from this website.
The Scrumping Project
The Council is supporting a local group of orchard enthusiasts who are attempting to make cider and apple juice from windfall apples that would have been left to rot. The project is discovering old cider orchards, where the fruit is no longer picked and has interviewed their owners on video to capture stories of old. To find out more visit the Scrumping Project website.