hertfordshireorchardinitiative.org.uk

Codicote Community Orchard

The orchard is located in the north-east corner of Codicote, off Bury Lane, next to the allotments and opposite the church. Grid ref: TL 218187. Access is on foot via kissing gates off Bury Lane and the adjacent sports/ recreation ground. Contact Angela Forster at the Countryside Management Service on 01462 459395, or John Warwick on 01438 820639 for more information.

The project started in 1996 when local people asked the Countryside Management Service to draw up plans for a community orchard on a disused area of the village allotments. The idea was to provide a focal point for the community, an improvement to the eastern entrance to the village, an enhanced area for wildlife and a quiet place for locals to enjoy. The plans went on display at a public consultation meeting in December 1996 when villagers gave their support to the project.

Local volunteers planted a protective hedge in February 1997 and the fruit trees in the following winter. A small local contingent continues to manage the site. The trees include a wide range of fruit varieties such as Brownlees Russet, Hormead Pearmain, Laxton's Epicure and Lanes Prince Albert apples, Conference, Fertility Improved and Jargonelle pears, Early Transparent gage, Victoria, Monarch and River's Early Prolific plums as well as cherries, walnut and hazelnut. Many of the trees are old Hertfordshire varieties. The work was funded by grant aid from Rural Action, North Hertfordshire District Council and Hertfordshire County Council.

Rivers Nursery and  Orchard, Sawbridgeworth

The Rivers Nursery site at Sawbridgeworth has had a continuous history of cultivation of horticultural material stretching back to the seventeenth century.

Thomas Rivers, born at Sawbridgeworth in 1798, was renowned for his rose culture although his major interest was fruit production and the breeding and introduction of new varieties, particularly during the period between 1850 and 1875. He was responsible for the introduction of 31 peach and 16 nectarine varieties for glasshouse production, over 20 plum varieties, 6 pears and various apricots, cherries, raspberries and strawberries. He remains famous for his plums today. Unfortunately, the nursery closed towards the end of the 1980s. The  Rivers Orchard and Nursery Group is a Rural Enterprise Project involving local people who are interested in this site.

Highfield Park Orchards, St Albans

Highfield Park is a recently established rural Park set in 60 acres of land on the east side of St Albans with permanent public access. The Park has two remnants of old orchards Hixberry Lane and Cell Barnes psychiatric hospitals.

The Cell Barnes orchard once belonged to the nearby Cell Barnes house, which was originally the retreat 'cell' for the Prioress of Sopwell Nunnery. An orchard has existed on the site for over one hundred years. In the early 1900s the orchard housed breeding pens for poultry and was carpeted with daffodils in the spring.

In 1920 the Cell Barnes Estate was acquired by Hertfordshire County Council to build Cell Barnes Hospital a 'colony for mental defectives' to support the nearby Hill End Hospital. The orchard was part of the hospital farm and undoubtedly well maintained.

The two orchards are currently being restored and replanted with additional apple varieties as well as pears, plums and cherries.

Shenley Park, the Stanley Lord Orchard, Radlett

This orchard, within Shenley Rural Park, near Radlett was planted in 1950 by the then Head Gardener of Shenley Hospital Mr. Stanley Lord (1906-1996). It was on the site of a much older orchard that was part of the original Porters Estate. Mr. Lord was a very active member of the Royal Horticultural Society, with Shenley fruit regularly winning prizes at national shows.

As the hospital was gradually closed down in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Shenley Park Trust was formed to manage and develop the newly created rural park within the hospital grounds. One of the first projects was to clear the now overgrown orchard and restore it to its former glory. It contains over 400 apple trees covering over 90 different varieties.

The Stanley Lord Orchard is now one of the main features of the park and the focal point for Shenley Park's Apple Day celebrations in October as well as being a pleasant place to walk or picnic. Further information can be obtained from the Park Manager on (01923) 852629

The Watercress Wildlife Association’s Orchard, St Albans

In a quiet secluded corner of St. Albans the local community have been hard at work over the past six years restoring old derelict watercress beds. As well as creating two large lakes the Watercress Wildlife Association now manages a wildlife area which includes a variety of habitats and a restored orchard.

An orchard was established on the site in the 1930s as part of a watercress and market gardening business. It contained both apples (Cox's Orange and Laxton's Superb) and Pears (Conference). After the business collapsed the orchard became derelict and overgrown.

Today the orchard has been cleared of bramble and restored. Several new fruit trees have been planted: Allington Pippin, Lanes Prince Albert, Norfolk Royal, Brownlees Russet, William Crump, Rosemary Russet, Ribston Pippin, Egremont Russet and Sashmeads Kernel.

The site is well worth a visit, located off the junction of Riverside Road and Cornwall Road, adjacent to the Alban Way footpath where it crosses the River Ver.

Tewin Orchard, Welwyn

A 70 year old orchard with fine pear and apple trees, especially standard conference and bramley stands. Free entry all year round: one of the oldest community orchards and wildlife reserve combined. It was given by the Hopkyns family to the RSPB and since managed by Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust to conserve both the fruit and the natural habitats.

Tewin Millennium Orchards

The Tewin Millennium Committee planned new orchard plantings in the Parish for a 5 year programme commencing in 2000. As long as the fruit trees were growing in 2000 they qualified for the Millennium Orchards. Two plantings have already taken place on private ground adjoining public footpaths (October 2000). A third is planned on farmland next to Back Lane and the public footpath to the village church. This is to be carried out by children from Tewin School and will be a feature of the village countryside. More plantings are proposed and trees have been propagated over the past two years on a special plot in Tewin Orchard.