Most favourable habitat condition:

• Five or more trees, well spaced (≥3m apart) with crown edges <20m apart.
• Trees with varying ages, including new plantings to replace trees over time.
• One or more trees showing signs of aging and/or deadwood present.
• Ground cover of permanent vegetation (mainly grass) with few bare patches, grazed &/or mown for hay.
• Other habitat features of benefit to wildlife on or near the site but without excessive scrub encroachment.

Recently planted traditional orchard sites

RSPB Old Moor *

RSPB Adwick * (2017)

Sanderson Gardens, Penistone ((2015)

YWT/YMCA Dearne Valley Country Park* (2017)

YWT / YMCA Fleets (2017)

YMCA Allotment (2017)

Oxspring (2017)

Royds, Millhouse Green (2017)

* planted within Local Wildlife Sites

Older Traditional Orchard Sites include:

Cannon Hall Walled Garden

Wortley Hall Walled Garden

… …

Traditional Orchard sites

The national inventory of traditional orchard priority  habitat identifies 36 traditional orchards in Barnsley. The inventory does not include orchards planted in the last eight years.

Traditional Orchard Sites in Barnsley

36 traditional orchards are spread out across Barnsley, excluding the more western areas of moorland and moorland fringe, in 34 different 1km squares. Only four are found in urban areas and the majority in the settled wooded farmland of Barnsley. They are usually associated with former country house estates and older farmsteads.

A number of small traditional orchards have been created more recently, often by volunteers, in local country parks, nature reserves and urban green spaces; ‘community orchards’ bring local people together to share in a common interest and benefit from the results.

Traditional Orchards in walled gardens

Cannon Hall walled garden, built in 1760, houses the historic pear tree collection of 48 trees of 30 different varieties. Pear Day is celebrated  every September.

Some of the old varieties of fruit trees still remain in Wortley Hall Walled Garden. In addition 17 different Yorkshire heritage apple varieties were planted in November 2007.

Traditional Orchard Sites