The Irvine Road Community Orchard

The Irvine Road Community Orchard is an ancient orchard, a local wildlife site and a collaboration between the Irvine Road Area Residents’ Association and the developer, Lexden Restoration & Development. Currently we have a 50 year lease on the land and, having raised the necessary funds, are in the process of securing a 999 year lease.

This is one of the few remaining ancient orchards left in Essex and is home to a wide range of wildlife, including a significant population of rare stag beetles. Our aim is to restore, manage and celebrate this ancient orchard and its wildlife with the involvement of the community.

To maintain the site as a productive orchard and to protect its wildlife, access is restricted to management activity, organised events or by prior arrangement. We hold monthly work parties (first Sunday of each month, 10-12am) and events throughout the year. The next event is the Open Day scheduled for Sunday 28th April when the blossom should be spectacular.

Please do not trespass in the orchard or disturb the wildlife and we are sorry but dogs are not allowed. If you are interested in sponsorship, volunteering or would like more information please email info@irara.org.uk or via the FB page.

Click here for more information on the Orchard’s background

Check out this page or our Facebook page to stay up to date – https://www.facebook.com/Irvine Road Community Orchard

If you wish to make a donation towards the upkeep of the site, visit our Local Giving page.

The images below give some idea of how rich a habitat the orchard is. We will be monitoring the comings and goings of the inhabitants over the next few seasons and bringing you news and images as and when we can.

We thank you for your support.

The orchard is home to a rare stag beetle population which has declined drastically in recent years. Our aim is to secure this environment and help the population to get back to previous levels.
The orchard is one of the few ancient orchards left in Essex and being an urban orchard is particularly rare. It still contains some very productive fruit trees and we will be adding to them over the coming seasons.
There is normally a good crop of apples in the autumn. We will be adding some traditional varieties.
The orchard contains a myriad of insects, invertebrates and mammals which thrive on the rich vegetation.
A rich variety of wild flowers provide good feeding for a large variety of bees.
The process of identifying the small creatures who live in the orchard is just beginning.
Because the ground has been largely undisturbed for almost 100 years it is unusually rich in plant and insect life.
A policy of sensitive maintenance will minimise disruption to the environment and nesting sites.