Lydiard apples turned into new preserves

Apples growing in Lydiard Park’s historic Georgian Walled Garden have been used to make a new range of handmade Wiltshire preserves.

Their creation follows a collaboration with an award-winning local producer.
The apples, harvested from the Walled Garden, which dates back to before 1743, have been taken to Dauntsey Preserves’ kitchen in rural Wiltshire and used to create three specially developed products: Heritage Apple Chutney, Heritage Apple & Ginger Preserve and Heritage Apple & Orange Marmalade.
The partnership brings together two Wiltshire stories, Lydiard Park’s centuries-old horticultural heritage and Dauntsey Preserves’ commitment to local ingredients, traditional production and provenance.
Cllr Jake Chandler, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, said: “Lydiard Park’s Walled Garden is home to a wonderful collection of more than 25 heritage apple varieties, many with fascinating names such as Ribston Pippin, Devonshire Quarrenden, Golden Harvey and Blenheim Orange.
“This collaboration with Dauntsey Preserves gives us a great opportunity to create something special from the harvest while celebrating the history and heritage of our 18th-century Walled Garden.
"Visitors will be able to take home and enjoy a real taste of Lydiard Park all year round.”
The Walled Garden is home to more than 25 varieties of heritage apple tree.
Following Lydiard Park’s Apple Day in September, this year’s apples were harvested before being prepared by hand and cooked in small batches using traditional open-pan methods.
Sending the apples to Dauntsey Preserves means they can be enjoyed long after the last apples have been picked, with the finished preserves taking the fruit on a journey from historic Wiltshire walled garden to handmade Wiltshire preserve.
The three products will be available to buy at Lydiard Park, online from Dauntsey Preserves, via Dauntsey Preserves stockists, and at a variety of events from next week.
Claire Mellor-Hill, founder of Dauntsey Preserves, said: “Local ingredients, heritage, quality and provenance are at the heart of Dauntsey Preserves, so this collaboration ticks every box.
“We’re delighted to be working with Lydiard Park and can’t wait to transform this year’s heritage apple harvest into some truly delicious preserves with a wonderful story behind them.”?