The Apple Never Falls Far From the Tree!

Did you know?
A little history of our site...

Apple Picking, October 2021

Many years ago, the Knightshayes Estate collected rent from its 14 tenant farms—not just in cash, but often in apples!

Every year on November 6th, the farms could bring their apples to what is now the car park to have them weighed in. From there, the apples were taken to the Big Barn, where they were washed, crushed, and pressed. The barn still houses the original water wheel pit used in the process.

A tunnel once connected the Big Barn to the Cider Barn (now home to the Wooden House Nursery), making it easy to roll the casks of freshly pressed cider into storage. The cider was then sold back to the farm workers and the local community.

This rich heritage inspired our annual Apple Picking Day, where we continue the tradition and celebrate the estate’s cider-making legacy.

— George