Cherry Orchards of Birmingham

[Vivienne14]

The growing of cherries aren't something I'd associate with Birmingham, but way back, the Priory and Hospital of St Thomas had their own cherry orchard. Later, Westley captured two cherry orchards on his map of 1731: Walkers and Greenwood's. Maybe these were all one orchard belonging to the earlier Priory. I wonder if they were grown mostly for Priory/Hospital use and/or if they sold the produce?

The use of the name 'Cherry Orchard' as an address in the area continued in use until the mid-1700s. Eventually, Cherry Street officially emerged as an address, supposedly taking its name from the early use of this central Birmingham land.



Source : British Newspaper Archive

 

[Pedrocut]

1870 Archaeological Journal…

“What a picture of the town the mention of these names conjures up! Here are fields, meadows, barns, and crofts, in places now occupied by the busiest streets, and the most crowded parts of the borough. And this state of things existed till within the memory of men still living. There was a "cherry orchard" in Pinfold Street, and the existence of another is perpetuated in the name of Cherry Street.”

 

[A Sparks]

There's a Cherry Orchard Road and School in Handsworth Wood so I guess there were probably orchards in that area once too.

 

[pjmburns]

Joseph Hill's conjectural map of Birmingham (drawn from surveys of Henry VIII and Queen Mary plus various old plans) 1553 shows a cherry orchard.

 

[pjmburns]

There's a Cherry Orchard Road and School in Handsworth Wood so I guess there were probably orchards in that area once too.

 

[mikejee]

And a Cherry Orchard Farm, which seems to have been about where it joins Ireton road

 

[Vivienne14]

The Guest and Dugdale family once owned Cherry Orchard Farm.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Vivienne14]

The farm from the late Bill Dargue's site.


The caption for this photo from the Birmingham Library Archives reads:

Date:1900

Description: Cherry Orchard farm was owned in 1900 by the Hales family. It was said to have dated from the fourteenth century, in 1327 it was listed as the home of Atte-Le-Berg. The house was demolished in 1930 and the present Cherry Orchard Road and district takes its name from the farmhouse and estate.

 

[Elainecaddy]

The farm from the late Bill Dargue's site.

View attachment 220527
The caption for this photo from the Birmingham Library Archives reads:

Date:1900

Description: Cherry Orchard farm was owned in 1900 by the Hales family. It was said to have dated from the fourteenth century, in 1327 it was listed as the home of Atte-Le-Berg. The house was demolished in 1930 and the present Cherry Orchard Road and district takes its name from the farmhouse and estate.
View attachment 220529

How fascinating this is. My brother and I went to Cherry Orchard school from 1956 to 1962 when we moved to Ipswich. My memory of the cherries along the snicket to the playing fields was that they hurt when the boys threw them at you. They were never edible.

 

[A Sparks]

How fascinating this is. My brother and I went to Cherry Orchard school from 1956 to 1962 when we moved to Ipswich. My memory of the cherries along the snicket to the playing fields was that they hurt when the boys threw them at you. They were never edible.

Ah yes! I know where you mean, the gully behind the school alongside where the railway line is, we used to walk over the foot bridge to get to the playing field.