The orchards are at least equivalent to organic status, although are not certified as yet.

Yarde Farm was built around 1650 and has been a working farm for most of it’s history. The house and orchard can be seen by all who visit the village. South Hams District Council have called it “one of the most important and prominent orchards in the South Hams.” It is now managed under a Countryside Stewardship Grant.

Here we have 50 ancient traditional trees and have also just completed a replanting programme with traditional devon varieties advised by Ben Pike, Devon Orchard Services and supplied by Thornhayes Nursery www.thornhayes-nursery.co.uk.

There is a mixture of cider apples, eating apples and cooking apples with a preponderance of sharps. There is a fabulous pear tree which is well into it’s three hundred year life and can give half a ton of pears on it’s own! Although not used in drink, we have a very large medlar tree which provides an interesting accompaniment to cheese when “bletted” (a polite word for rotten!)

One of a trio of Castles (with Berry Pomeroy and Totnes) which sit close to each other inland from Torquay, Compton Castle dates from the 1200s, but much of the construction that we see today is from a later period - in the 1520s. It was owned almost exclusively from the 1250s to the 1970s by one family - the Gilberts.

The fortification of the existing manor house was believed to have been carried out by John Gilbert around 1520, in which case it vies with Thornbury in Gloucestershire as the last true Castle built (i.e. a fortified house).

History seems to have passed Compton by completely, and it is to this quirk perhaps that we owe the superb condition of the house. House and Gardens are a glory, although for the Castle enthusiast of limited interest due to the fact that the house is more manor than Castle.

They are owned today by the National Trust and are open periodically during the summer. This property has a couple of orchards with around 150 standard cider apple and juicing trees. These apples have until now been going to waste except for those eaten by the cows and sheep and so the occupants, Mr and Mrs Gilbert and the National Trust are pleased that they are being put to good use again.

The National Trust will also be selling Realdrinks in their nearby properties including Greenway at Galmpton; Bradley Manor, Newton Abbott and of course at Compton Castle tea room itself.

This is the home of Druid's apple - the only source in the world! The traditional orchard where 50 trees remain has been replanted by Ben Pike, Devon Orchard Services and Orchard Link, with local devon varieties. This will provide an excellent supply of fruit apples in the future.

Higher Well Farm,Stoke Gabriel, Aish Cross House, Stoke Gabriel
Harvest Line
We also use Orchard Link apple line Telephone: 07792 664710, which brings apple tree owners together with buyers.