St Laurence Orchard

St Laurence Orchard is a historic site that Trust Links manages on behalf of Southend-on-Sea City Council.

The site is very tranquil and offers a quiet, peaceful space for people and wildlife. As well as numerous varieties of apples, St Laurence Orchard is also planted with plum trees, greengages and pear trees. In the summer months Trust Links arrange regular work parties to tend the trees and maintain the orchard.

We provide hot drinks and tools but volunteers need to bring their own lunch. If you’d like to come to a work party day, just come along! You can stay for a few hours or the whole day, whatever suits. To read the St Laurence Orchard blog, and stay in the loop about work parties, visit the St Laurence Orchard Blog page.

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Work Party dates 2023

St Laurence Orchard is also open to the public several times a year, including our annual Wassailing and Apple Day events. These celebrate the abundant harvest at the Orchard and revive traditions for modern times.

Orchard Heritage

St Laurence Orchard is the last surviving fragment of orchards and smallholdings planted from 1920 after the First World War. Essex County Council leased the site to veterans of World War I as a place to learn new skills and recover from the trauma of the war.

There are over fifty-three types of apples at St Laurence Orchard, including a D’Arcy Spice – a rare Essex variety. We also grow Bramleys and King of Pippins, as well as greengages, Pershore plums, pears and a single Cox apple tree grown from the original Cox apple tree.

Trust Links started maintaining St Laurence Orchard in 2005, helping prevent it from being chopped down. The Orchard has always been a place for therapeutic activity and recovery, and we are very proud to conserve this special place for the local community.