Dowdings

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Dowdings We use apples from our own organic orchards and surplus local apples that wouldn't otherwise be harvested. [email protected]
https://dowdings.co.uk/

Dowding’s will be having an Open Orchard weekend, on 22nd/23rd August (that is this weekend!) from 10a.m. to 8p.m. The...
19/08/2026

Dowding’s will be having an Open Orchard weekend, on 22nd/23rd August (that is this weekend!) from 10a.m. to 8p.m.

There are 15 acres of organically managed apple trees, the majority being eating apples. There will be plenty to see and probably apples to scrump! Sadly, they are as rain starved as everywhere else.

There will be a display of birds of prey by the Pitcombe Rock Falconry, who are based near here. This will likely be from 10 to 4.30 – the birds have to head home then. The falconry rescue and rehabilitate birds of prey of all sizes and breeds. There is no entrance fee, but we ask that you make a donation to the falconry when you are here.

Food will be provided by Kate Foster, The Intuitive Chef. This should be available between 11.a.m. and c.7p.m.

Gather Ground will be here, from the village, selling their eggs and promoting their business.

There will be plenty of drinks to enjoy. This includes the ciders that won 10 awards at the last weekend’s Somerset Cider Championships: 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 5 Bronze, following on from a Gold at the National Cider Championships.

We look forward to welcoming everybody to Apple HQ, Shepton Montague, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 8JW - there will be large signs by the entrance gate.

10:00am - 8:00pm

https://dowdings.co.uk/events/

Thank you to everyone that visited our recent Blossom & Somerset Days open orchard events. We always enjoy catching up w...
16/05/2026

Thank you to everyone that visited our recent Blossom & Somerset Days open orchard events. We always enjoy catching up with friends and meeting new ones. Thank you to Abi our lovely WWOOFer who introduced us to the idea that burying a (vegan) sausage in the orchards will ensure a dry weekend. Thank you to our friend Edmund who buried the 2nd sausage and thank you to our friends at Higher Farm for gifting us a bottle of their beetroot ketchup for the sausage. We'll soon be posting details about our next open orchard event, on 6th 7th June, where there will be a new batch of apple chutneys on offer, alongside Higher Farms 'magic dry-weather ketchup'. Cheers. 🙂

16/05/2026

Thank you to our friends at Sandford Orchards in Devon for inviting us to your annual Franklins Night event last night. They said it would inspire us and it did. We enjoyed singing along to '10 Pints of Thatchers', singing and drinking from 'The Two Handled Cup' and watching their Mummer's Franklins Night performance The Mummers Play in particular, was absolutely charming. If anyone local reading this would like to get involved with our plans to form a new Mummers group then please get in touch. We're also looking for local folk musicians that might like to get involved. No acting experience necessary, it'll be about fun, friendship, tradition and raising money for the Pitcombe Rock Falconry

Thank you to everyone that came along to our recent open orchard events. It's always such fun to catch up with old frien...
12/05/2026

Thank you to everyone that came along to our recent open orchard events. It's always such fun to catch up with old friends and connect with new ones. Thank you also to everyone that voted for our nomination in the Name the Somerset Dragon Competition. Our nomination, Kingston, came third! We were invited to the BBC announcement breakfast in Taunton yesterday where Dunkery was announcing to be the winning name, Dunk for short. Congratulations Gaby 🙂 To honour the new name we have already written a verse about Dunk into our Mummers Play, which is convenient as dunk rhymes with drunk! Of course we took our own dragon to the announcement (as you do), but we needn't have bothered as there was one to greet us. Photo looks as if 'Dunk' is about to take a chunk out of Oliver - one my goodness, Dunk & Chunk, I feel another rhyme coming on! 🤣

07/05/2026

Please vote for KINGSTON. We'll be at the breakfast announcement on Monday morning to see if our suggestion has won.

We will having an open weekend, 9th and 10th May, to celebrate Somerset Day - which falls on Monday 11th May. From 10a.m...
07/05/2026

We will having an open weekend, 9th and 10th May, to celebrate Somerset Day - which falls on Monday 11th May.

From 10a.m. to 8p.m. you can come and wander among the trees, many still with blossom on them.

We will have a presence here from the Pitcombe Rock Falconry for part of the time, displaying birds of prey and explaining about their work in rescue and rehabilitation.

Catering will be by Desi Cafe with Indian style fare on Saturday, while on Sunday Kate - The Intuitive Chef - will have a great spread of options, with a good apple theme throughout.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Please note that the entrance is by the cross-roads in Shepton Montague, BA9 8JW. Any questions - please email [email protected].

The orchards will be open for you to come and enjoy next weekend. The blossom will be a wonderful sight. And.....it sho...
19/04/2026

The orchards will be open for you to come and enjoy next weekend. The blossom will be a wonderful sight.
And.....it should be full-on sunshine - no need for wellies or umbrellas!
The birds of prey from Pitcombe Rock Falconry will be with us - albeit they have to go home before 5. Desi Cafe from Bruton will be providing great food.
All of this topped off with excellent ciders, apple juices and chutneys! We'll be open from 10 to 8.

Address

Southdown
Shepton Montague
BA98JP

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 7pm
Saturday 8:30am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441749812652

Website

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