Types of orchards in Luton
Commercial, farmhouse, kitchen garden, ornamental, institutional, community: there are many ways to categorise orchards. Yet distinctions are often fluid and orchards change over time. We loosely follow the categories Tom Williamson and Gerry Barnes use in their book 'English Orchards'.
Farmhouse orchards
Farm orchards were typically located close to the farmhouse.
This had a number of practical benefits:
the trees were in close reach for maintenance
the orchard could be easily observed to protect it from animal and human predators
the fruit could be moved swiftly into storage or the kitchen
- Lewsey Farm
- Manor Farm
- Marsh Farm
- Bury Farm
- Little Bramingham Farm
- Great Bramingham Farm
- Eaton Green Farm
- Farley Farm
- Whitefield Farm
Small farm orchards may have been for self-sufficiency, but also to supplement farmers' incomes.
Landscape historian Tom Williamson says this positioning within farms reflected 'the aesthetic value placed on orchards in the past - the displays of blossom, the beauty of trees heavily laden with fruit, the birdsong.'
Orchards at gardens, manor houses and institutions
Garden and institutional orchards were another type we found. These were attached to, for example, hospitals, churches and manor houses. In Luton, we definitely had several church orchards.
- Holy Trinity Biscott (now Biscot)
- St Mary’s Church
- Leagrave Hall manor house
Luton's manor houses had orchards visible on the 1878 OS County Series maps.
There are fruit trees shown at Stockwood House, which was demolished in 1964. One can also see the formal planting schemes at Luton Hoo's Walled Garden from around 1878, which are marked by a ‘bush’ symbol.
We know from later maps of the walled garden that these bushes often matured into fruit trees.
This image of a hand-drawn map is good evidence that the bushes became a well-stocked orchard. It shows part of an outline map which was filled in from memory and old records by Senior Gardner, Gordon Bland. For more details visit: Luton Hoo Walled Garden orchard
Commercial orchards
We could not find proof of large-scale commercial fruit growing and sale in Luton. However, the boundaries are fluid between what count as commercial orchards and orchards for self-sufficiency. Nevertheless, there are examples of sizeable orchards. We even have a photograph from the early 20th century depicting an orchard in orderly lines, which hints at something closer to an industrial endeavour.
A large-scale orchard, outlined in yellow, at the corner of Compton Road and Capron Road. Leagrave Railway Station is in the background. There are at least 96 trees in orderly rows. Read more at Limbury and Leagrave cluster
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