FOR centuries travellers have visited Little Wiittenham to enjoy the River Thames and its age-old hills – the Wittenham Clumps.

But few would have realised that this South Oxfordshire hamlet is also home to one of England’s finest ancient orchards.

The orchard belongs to Taylors Cottage which is the home of Bob Cooper, a retired GP, author and broadcaster, and his wife Pru.

The couple moved to the cottage from Scotland about 15 years ago.

Mrs Cooper, a retired Oxford academic, said: “The cottage is tucked away from the main street and we are unaware of visitors to Days Lock, or to the nearby Northmoor Trust land.”

Behind the cottage and garden is an even more peaceful 3.5 acre traditional orchard which has National Habitat Status and contains more than 100 low-density mature fruit trees in open grassland.

Mrs Cooper said: “Last summer enviromental specialist Sarah Mukherjee and members of the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species visited the orchard to record a story for Radio 4’s Today programme which highlighted a campaign to preserve this type of habitat.

“It proved to be one of the largest traditional orchard habitats they had ever seen”

Predominantly planted with Bramley apple trees, the orchard attracts a variety of wildlife including woodpeckers, owls, birds of prey, grass snakes and deer, Mr Cooper added: “Where old trees have fallen, several varieties of newer fruit trees have been planted including dessert apple, pear, plum, greengage, quince and cherry.

“All these trees provide fresh fruit from July to October plus gallons of apple juice.”

Taylors Cottage has an entrance hall, sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom/shower room and a conservatory. The master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and there are two further bedrooms Mrs Cooper said: “We are planning to downsize to a property in nearby Wallingford, so a new steward is needed to cherish this corner of old rural England.”

The cottage has a guide price of £550,000 and further details are available from Hamptons International on 01865 512332.