Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce

Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire is a county of commercial orchards growing Cox's Orange Pippin, Bramley's Seedling, Conference pears and Victoria plums. The growth of orchards in Cambridgeshire, particularly around Histon and Wisbech, was encouraged by the jam making industry. John Chivers established his factory at Histon in 1873.

The Habitat Action Plan for Cambridgeshire includes traditional orchards for their importance to wild life. Contact the Environment Programme Team at Cambridgeshire County Council on +44(0)1223 717701. You can e-mail Catherine Weightman, Cambs and Peterborough Biodiversity Partnerships Co-ordinator at: catherine. weightman [at] cambridgeshire. gov. uk.

The Dry Drayton Parish Map refers to the community's orchards: "Orchards have been planted in the village since c1900, with plums being the dominant fruit, grown for the production of plum jam. Apples took over as the main crop from about the mid 1930s. As the market for local apples diminished, so did the orchards, with the last of the Chivers fruit trees being pulled up in 1999". Read more about Parish Maps here.

There is an orchard in the grounds of Girton College, Cambridge University. The grounds are semi-wild, unlike the formal lawned grounds of many of the Colleges.

Apple Day Events
Where to get help
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Where to buy apples and orchard produce
Where to buy fruit trees
Some Cambridgeshire Fruit