The Orchard's Story
Originally planted in the early 1900s, Holly Mount Orchard would have provided fresh fruit for the community of nuns who lived in the convent of Holly Mount.
Despite the convent's rich history and its growth and expansion through the first half of the 20th century, in the 1980s the site was finally sold off and converted into housing, a school and a golf course. With the convent's gardening staff dispersed, the orchard was abandoned and left to ruin.
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2010
2018
In 2010 Incredible Edible Ramsbottom took on the challenge of re-discovering the orchard. We have since hand-cleared the near acre site of its fly-tipped rubbish, dumped asbestos and epidemic of invasive plant species, and have uncovered what is now recognised as one of the largest remaining heritage orchards in Greater Manchester.
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Transformed from an inaccessible waste ground we now manage Holly Mount Orchard as an accessible open community orchard.
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We offer free heritage fruit for our community, we offer an organic haven for conserving native plant and wildlife habitats, and we are growing a year-round programme of activities for our volunteers and wider community.
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Click What's On and find out how you can get involved in the next chapter of Holly Mount Orchard's history...
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