Naunton Court Orchard
|
Naunton Beauchamp, (B4082 Upton Snodsbury Road)
Pershore, WR10 2LG Grid reference SO956 521 Purchased 5th June 2015 Access: A Public-right-of-way cuts across the southern-most corner. |
|
Naunton Court Orchard is an old, traditional apple and pear orchard. Apple varieties include Blenheim Orange, Cox’s Pomona, Ellison’s Orange, Ingrid Marie, King of the Pippins and Gravenstein along with pears including Moorcroft.
The orchard stands on ancient ridge and furrow with the trees planted on the ridges.
Many of the origginal trees are dying so we are replanting to fill the gaps but making sure we keep as much standing deadwood as possible because of its importance for wildlife. Several rare insects which depend on deadwood have been found in the orchard including the rare Noble Chafer beetle, tiny Basket Longhorn beetle and Nationally scarce Red-belted Clearwing moth.
Noble Chafer Gnorimus nobilis
|
Basket Longhorn Beetle Gracilia minuta
|
Red-belted Clearwing Moth Synanthedon myopaeformis
|
|
We are planting up with apple varieties known to have originated from Worcestershire to create a Worcestershire Apple collection inspired by the book ‘The Apples and Orchards of Worcestershire’ by Wade Muggleton (2017). By 2020 we had planted all but one variety recorded in the book and this will hopefully be added to our collection shortly. |
Gwendoline - an old variety of Worcestershire apple
|
The grassland was heavily sheep-grazed at the time of purchase and had received regular inputs of fertilizer, resulting in the loss of most of the characteristic flowering plants. Agricultural ‘weeds’ have benefitted from the high levels of nutrients and Stinging Nettles, Creeping Thistle and Spear Thistles are present in large patches (especially around the old trees). Grazing was stopped at the end of 2015 to allow grassland flora surveys but the ground is so fertile that the grasses grew too tall and vigorous to allow any sign of smaller species. Grazing restarted at beginning of June 2016 but with no additional fertilizer.
A small patch of Cowslips and Salad Burnet are present but rare along the south west edge where the grassland appears to be less improved and more floristically diverse than the rest of the site. This area of the orchard is fenced from grazing each summer and green hay from the adjacent SSSI meadow was spread in 2019. Some additional seed has been added including Yellow Rattle and wildflower species have started to spread.
Naunton Court Orchard wildflower area
|
Yellow Rattle at Naunton Court Orchard
|
Mistletoe is abundant in some of the old trees and is being thinned to reduce the stress on the trees. We are keen to keep plenty of this fascinating plant because provides berries for birds and it is home to many insects that only live on Mistletoe. We have found some rare species in the Mistletoe at Naunton as well as some common ones.
Winter Mistletoe at Naunton Court Orchard
|
Mistle Thrush guarding its crop of Mistletoe berries
|
Anthocoris visci a rare Flower Bug on Mistletoe at Naunton
The rare Mistletoe Weevil Ixapion variegatum at Naunton
|
Pinalitus viscicola a common Mistletoe Mirid bug at Naunton
The rare Mistletoe Marbled Moth Celypha woodiana larval leaf mines found at Naunton in 2020
|
Hypseloecus visci a species of Mistletoe Mirid bug new to Britain and already established at Naunton
Jumping plant louse Cacopsylla visci Mistletoe Psyllid at Naunton
|
Starlings nest in holes in old fruit trees at Naunton
A pond is present in the north-west corner, fed by a ditch which flows from there along the orchard boundary to the south-east corner. Reed Sweet-grass grows around the pond providing shelter for insects including Large Red, Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies. Kingfishers and Teal are occassionally seen in winter.
Birds known to be present include hole-nesting species associated with the old trees such as Stock Dove, Starling and Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Buzzards and Raven are commonly seen and there is a large rookery adjacent to the south-eastern corner of the orchard. More unusual species include Little Owls which are infrequent visitors. Hares have been seen occasionally.
Birds known to be present include hole-nesting species associated with the old trees such as Stock Dove, Starling and Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Buzzards and Raven are commonly seen and there is a large rookery adjacent to the south-eastern corner of the orchard. More unusual species include Little Owls which are infrequent visitors. Hares have been seen occasionally.
|
|
