The Orchard
A tea garden in an orchard at Grantchester, serving students and visitors since 1897.
The walk or cycle from Cambridge through Grantchester Meadows is part of the experience.
Grantchester, a short way up the Cam from Cambridge, is home to The Orchard, which combines a tea room with a garden. Coffee in the morning, lunches and afternoon teas are on offer, and it stays open throughout the year.
How it began
Trees were planted in 1868 on the plot facing the old village church. Towards the end of the century the next-door house and its grounds belonged to a Mrs Stevenson, who gave tea to lodgers and visitors on her front garden. Some Cambridge students asked whether they might take their refreshments among the trees instead, and the habit stuck. The tea room dates its opening to 1897 and has drawn students, teachers, tourists and locals ever since.
Literary visitors
The poet Rupert Brooke took lodgings in Orchard House in 1909 and drew a circle of admirers there. He later lodged at the Old Vicarage nearby and wrote about both houses in a poem composed in Berlin in 1912. Brooke died of septicaemia after a mosquito bite while on a French hospital ship.
Getting there
The tea garden is best approached by punt along the Cam, or on foot or by bike along the path through Grantchester Meadows. There is outdoor seating, and wheelchair access is limited. Opening hours vary with the season and are not published here, so confirm times before setting out.
