Orchard Project at High Ashurst, SOLD in partnership with DAISY
In partnership with DAISY (Disability Arts in Surrey), SOLD received a Heritage Lottery Grant to replant and reinvigorate their derelict Orchard at High Ashurst.
SOLD and DAISY worked with disability support groups Link Able, The Grange, Artventure and Halow, all who support adults with disabilities, to host events and workshops on site.
The history of apple growing at High Ashurst and in the local area was celebrated and explored.
A new labyrinth pathway in the shape of an apple was created for meditative exploration. A kinetic wind sculpture was installed in collaboration with disabled participants.
The Orchard was replanted with local heritage varieties of apple trees. Two old apple trees were identified and grafted onto new root stock for replanting.
Surrey History Centre Workshops
Each of the participating groups had a separate half day workshop with Surrey History Centre in Woking to explore more about the heritage of apple growing in Surrey and the history of High Ashurst.
Previous to these sessions, DAISY and SOLD had been working with Surrey History Centre to dig deep into their archives to find out anything about the site which could be explored with the groups involved and used to inform the project.
During each of the sessions, the participants were invited on a 'behind the scenes' tour of the archives to understand how they preserve, conserve and store artefacts here.
Back in the library area, the groups then examined old documents, photographs, maps, drawings and plans that related to High Ashurst and apple growing and selling in the region. We learned a lot about the estate, how it looked back then and what was produced there and how they used it.
We also learnt about who owned and worked at High Ashurst and dressed up in clothes they might have worn. The groups loved this part of the session and lots of fun was had acting out the role of the workers and imagining the sort of tasks they had to do.
RHS Wisley workshops
RHS Wisley kindly offered four workshops, one with each of the groups involved, to explore apple tree grafting and apple identification.
These were facilitated by one of the top apple specialists in the UK Jim Arbury, who has been looking after the impressive Orchard at Wisley Gardens for over 40 years.
Having been met at the entrance of the garden by Jim and Chris Young, their community outreach advisor, we were led through the gardens up to an area next to the Orchard.
Back in January, cuttings from the old remaining apple trees at High Ashurst had been delivered to Jim ready to do the grafting onto new apple tree rootstock. Jim demonstrated the simple method whilst explaining how the process worked.
Once they had been cut and slotted together and bound in tape and hot wax, these infant trees are ready to be planted in the ground after about 9 months. Jim then went on to explain how to identify different types of apple.
We have been able to identify the types of apple trees from High Ashurst yet and hope to do so once the grafted trees are plantedand fruiting on site. Jim displayed four different types of apple on the table - a pink lady, a cox pippin, a gala and a brambly.
We talked about the shape and colour as a way of identifying and then cut them up to do a taste test - everyone had their favourite and it was surprising how different each one tasted.
After this we were given a tour around the Orchard and showed the different types and were surprised to hear how old some of the trees were. The group were then free to enjoy their lunch and explore the garden before heading back to their centres.
Apple Day
We kick started this project with an apple themed event onsite at High Ashurst in November 2022.
This was facilitated by the brilliant Sorcha Ni Foghluda, a heritage and learning specialist who we had brought in to help shape the project. All four groups involved attended this event with about 45 participants and about 20 support workers and volunteers.
We all walked over to explore the derelict Orchard, Sorcha introduced the project and what we had planned, and we all had a go at laying out the apple shaped labyrinth pathway using pegs and twine. It wasn't easy but the groups did well, and we got there in the end! We needed to make sure the pathway was wide enough for wheelchair access and that there was plenty of space to plant all the new apple trees.
After this we headed into the main hall at SOLD to look at images of local apples and talk about the heritage of the site. We also decorated apple shapes as markers for where the trees will be planted, drank delicious hot spiced apple juice, and ate a spread of apple treats made for us by the SOLD kitchen on site.
After we were all refreshed we headed back out to the Orchard with our decorated apple markers attached to bamboo sticks. Each participant was then invited to place their apple marker somewhere in the Orchard and this represented where one of the new apple trees will be planted. We need to place them far enough away from each other and consider the location of the laid-out labyrinth pathway.
Once we had completed this task, we discussed what our next activity on the project was and everyone headed home.
Art workshops:
Wind sculpture design and Apple Lanterns
As well as the apple trees and the apple labyrinth pathway in the Orchard, there is also a beautiful wind sculpture being made by the very talented James and Meera from Circus Kinetica (www.circuskinetica.com).
In order to design the sculpture collaboratively with the groups involved, Cara from DAISY ran a series of workshops with each of the groups to explore the history of High Ashurst further and identify key images that would represent its past. These images were sketched in the sessions and then delivered to James and Meera to be cut out in steel and incorporated into the sculpture as spinning weathervanes growing from the end of twisted branches of a metal tree.
Also in the session, Cara facilitated the group to each make an apple lantern. We explored the different variations of apple colours and made individual lanterns using tissue paper based on the colours they were inspired by. The lanterns will be lit up and used at the forthcoming Wassailing event during the procession to the Orchard.
Apple labyrinth pathway
This project has many aims; exploring the heritage of High Ashurst and apple growing in Surrey, replanting the Orchard and offering DAISY member groups and the disabled adults they support the opportunity to be part of that process.
Rob from SOLD had always been keen to ensure the Orchard became a place of learning and contemplation, encouraging the visitors to the Orchard to slow down and enjoy the space.
One way that we decided to do that was to create a wheelchair accessible Labyrinth pathway that weaves through the trees allowing the visitor to explore the area in a different way.
A labyrinth is a single path, in this case in the shape of a spiral within an apple, leading to a central point. By journeying along the meandering path, it invites the user to slow down, appreciating the Orchard and natural surroundings around them.
As the trees grow this path will become a secret treasure, exposed in wintertime when the leaves have dropped. The path is reminiscent of the exposed mosaic floors found during an archaeological dig on site.
Through the creation of this unusual path, we have created our own archaeology for future generations to discover and ponder upon.
The Orchard Wind Sculpture
As part of this project, we wanted to create a permanent sculpture that would be designed in collaboration with the disabled participants and installed amongst the newly planted trees in the Orchard for future visitors to enjoy.
Working with metal artists James and Meera from Circus Kinetica (www.circuskinetica.com) we came up with the idea of an organic looking metal tree with multiple roots and branches twisting and stretching out.
On each of these branches would sit a kinetic wind sculpture that would spin as the wind caught it, much like a weathervane.
Cara from DAISY ran a series of workshops with each of the groups to explore the history of High Ashurst and identify key images that would represent its past. These images were sketched in the sessions and then delivered to James and Meera at their metal workshop to be cut out in steel and incorporated into the spinning weather vanes. These were then painted and delivered to site to be installed in the center of the labyrinth pathway as a centerpiece to the Orchard.
Wassailing Event
This joyous event happened on a chilly early evening in February.
The groups involved gathered together under the shelter of the impressive tipi style marquee at High Ashurst. The warm and cozy space was decorated with fairy lights, reference images from the project and hanging apple lanterns and everyone was greeted with hot spiced apple juice and an array of delicious apple treats and cakes.
A traditional Wassailing band recited the visitors with traditional wassailing songs about good health, growth, drinking and merriment. Song sheets were passed around and everyone was encouraged to join in and a few got up to dance! Once everyone had arrived and was refreshed, Andrew the Wassailing master of ceremonies guided everyone outside as the sun was setting.
The participants had brought along the apple lanterns they had previously made which were switched on and a few fire torches were lit. Together we processed to the Orchard whilst the band played music.
Once at the Orchard, in true Wassailing tradition, a bonfire was lit, blessings bestowed upon the newly planted trees and cider poured onto the roots.
It was explained that this process was to encourage the trees to fruit well this year and loud noises and singing were to scare away the bad spirits.
Fireworks were then set off and the groups were able to enjoy watching these whilst exploring the newly developed site. The labyrinth path was mostly complete, the trees planted and the wind sculpture installed.
Heading back again to the warmth of the marquee, the band recited us with more music and singing until it was time to leave.