The Community Orchard is situated opposite the historic Trout Inn on Godstow Road and was created in 1994 on an old disused allotment strip belonging to the Oxford Preservation Trust. The orchard contains many old and forgotten local varieties of apples and is maintained by members of the tree group. Late summer and early autumn are the busiest time of the orchard calendar when the fruits ripen and we prepare for their special celebration on Apple Day. To find out more about the creation and early years of the orchard please see the Heritage page.
Apple Day
From the small beginnings of the orchard, Apple Day was an integral part of the project and we were keen to keep the celebration a simple affair. So with fruity cakes and preserves, apple tasting, apple juicing and old fashioned games like the Longest Peel, Conker Conquest, Autumn crafts and treasure hunts, we welcomed the passer-by. As the orchard grew, so too did the numbers that visited on Apple Day and in more recent years it has reached several hundred! It is also on this special day that we thank our landlords, the Oxford Preservation Trust, duly paying them their rent with a modest but fitting basket of apples.
New Orchard Path – 2020
Thanks to generous contributions from the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, Midcounties Cooperative Community Fund, Oxfordshire County Councillor Paul Buckley’s Priority Fund, CALA Homes and Oxford City Council’s Green Neighbourhood Scheme, supported by funds raised by WTG, we have been able to realise a long-held ambition to improve the orchard accessibility for those with mobility problems. The entrance is now set back from the narrow Godstow Road pavement. A consolidated, level path runs from the gate to the central, social space around the well, then on to the back of the orchard. This allows those in a wheelchair or using walking aids to help maintain the orchard in safety – or just to enjoy the whole space.