Discover the Home of Perry Pears

The three counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire are widely recognised as the birthplace of the perry pear. For more than 400 years, perry pear trees have shaped the rural economy, culture and landscape of the region. These large, long-lived and distinctive trees remain a defining feature of the countryside and provide a valuable haven for wildlife.

Today, the National Collection of Perry Pears at Three Counties Showground exists to protect this unique heritage for future generations.

Preserving a Living Heritage

The National Collection aims to preserve the living history of perry pears from across the three counties, by including examples of all known local heritage varieties. Many of these historic varieties are now extremely rare, some surviving in only a handful of locations.

Established in 1991 and awarded National Collection status in 1998, the collection is curated on a voluntary basis by Jim Chapman of Hartpury Heritage Trust. We now have approximately 114 varieties and 231 trees, following the planting of 76 new trees in March 2025 through grant funding. DNA profiling allows us to accurately identify varieties and protect their genetic diversity for the future.

The Community Interest Company 99PINES collects the fruit for perry-making and works closely with Three Counties Agricultural Society to care for and maintain the orchards. The fruit also forms part of the world’s only comprehensive public display of perry pear varieties at the Malvern Autumn Show, which has consistently achieved an RHS Gold Medal.

Why the Collection Matters

The great perry orchards of the three counties had their heyday in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, with perry once made on almost every farm and estate. Over time, this rich heritage declined, and today over 80% of traditional orchards have been lost since the 1950s.

Perry pear trees can live for more than 300 years and are vital not only as heritage assets but also as habitats for wildlife and contributors to biodiversity. Many remaining orchards are now under-managed, and valuable skills connected with orchard care and perry-making are at risk of being lost.

Perry making is one of the local traditional arts. Propagation has always been important to producing quality perry, with many varieties grown in just one village or a handful of farms. Preserving these varieties allows modern producers and conservationists to reconnect with authentic perry flavours, historic orchard practices, and culturally important fruit varieties.

As craft cider has enjoyed a revival in recent years, perry is also seeing renewed interest, with a growing number of dedicated producers working to revive this distinctive local drink.

Visiting the Collection

Members of the public can access the northern part of the collection at any time via the public footpath, which also passes through our established apple orchard.

Visits to the southern perry orchard can be arranged by contacting our team. Scion wood for propagation may also be collected by arrangement.

We work in close partnership with Hartpury Heritage Trust and our sister National Collection at Hartpury Orchard Centre, where visitors can enjoy access year-round to orchards and a nature reserve. Visit nationalperrypearcentre.org.uk for information about varieties, perry history and taproom events.

Perry at the Shows

You can taste and purchase craft perry from local producers at:

• RHS Malvern Spring Festival
• Royal Three Counties Show
• Malvern Autumn Show

Competitions, tastings and talks are organised by the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association, and the Orchard and Hopyard Pavilion at Malvern Autumn Show offers a rare opportunity to meet experts and learn more.

How You Can Help

To maximise the value of the collection, we aim to:

• Support growers and enthusiasts to propagate rare varieties
• Educate the public about perry, orchard heritage and wildlife value
• Preserve orchard and perry-making skills
• Encourage community engagement for wellbeing and conservation
• Promote traditional orchards as cultural and environmental assets

You can support our work preserving the living heritage of perry pears by making a donation: threecounties.co.uk/make-a-donation

Find Out More

• National Perry Pear Centre – nationalperrypearcentre.org.uk
• National Plant Collections – plantheritage.org.uk

With thanks to our partners and supporters: Malvern Hills National Landscape · Hartpury Heritage Trust · 99PINES