We have just put up a new chestnut fence to replace an ugly old pig and barbed wire one. We have also added a gate so people can easily now get into the orchard to look around and have a picnic if they wish.

The new fence has a great rustic look

It may look simple but involves a great deal of craftsmanship

Through to the orchard with the Walled Garden to the right

Chestnut is not a native species to Britain but was introduced by the Romans. It now grows in a number of woodlands, particularly in Kent and Sussex where it is coppiced to produced timber for fencing. By actively managing these woodlands by coppicing it encourages all sorts of wildlife which otherwise would suffer. Coppcing as a traditional management practice has declined enormously over the past century but sweet chestnut coppice is profitable and productive – a…