Food & Hospitality · Swindon
Historic Lydiard Park apple harvest transformed into new range of local preserves
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Heritage apples harvested from the Georgian Walled Garden at Lydiard Park have been crafted into three new handmade preserves by a Wiltshire-based producer.
A slice of history from Lydiard Park is set to reach kitchen tables across the region following a new collaboration between the historic estate and a Wiltshire artisan producer. Apples sourced from the park's Georgian Walled Garden, which predates 1743, have been processed into three distinct preserves.
The range includes a Heritage Apple Chutney, a Heritage Apple and Ginger Preserve, and a Heritage Apple and Orange Marmalade. Each product features fruit hand-picked from the garden's collection of more than 25 heritage apple varieties. These include notable types such as the Golden Knob, Cats Head, Api Noir, Ribston Pippin, Devonshire Quarrenden, Golden Harvey, and the Blenheim Orange.
Following the annual Apple Day event held in September, the harvested fruit was transported to the kitchens of Dauntsey Preserves in rural Wiltshire. There, the produce was prepared by hand and cooked in small batches using traditional open-pan methods to maintain the quality of the heritage stock.
Councillor Jake Chandler, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, said the project celebrates the history of the 18th-century site. He noted that the collaboration offers visitors a way to enjoy a genuine taste of the park throughout the year.
Claire Mellor-Hill, founder of Dauntsey Preserves, added that the partnership aligns with the firm's focus on local ingredients, heritage and provenance. She described the process as an opportunity to transform the harvest into products that carry a unique local story.
The new range of preserves is scheduled to be available for purchase directly from Lydiard Park and via the Dauntsey Preserves online store starting next week. The products will also be distributed through the producer's regular stockists and will feature at upcoming local events.
Source: Swindon Advertiser - Politics · View original