OUR COMMUNITY

The Farmers’ Market takes place in the centre of Orton village and at the heart of this rural community.

With a boundary approaching 35 miles, Orton is one of the largest parishes in the country but it only has a population of about 500! To the south it rises to well over 2000 feet at the Calf, the highest part of the Howgill Fells, and to the north are the famous limestone pavements of the Orton Fells. The village of Orton was described by Alfred Wainwright as “one of Westmorland‘s loveliest settlements”.

The Orton community takes its hosting of the Farmers’ Market seriously.

• All Saint’s Church offers refreshments each Market morning with opportunities to meet up with other shoppers and catch up on news. There are also usually second-hand books for sale and a selection of bric a brac, all raising money for Church funds.
• Orton CofE Primary School gets involved in the Farmers’ Market, especially in March, ahead of Mothers’ Day when pots of flowering bulbs and home-baked cakes are often on sale in Church. The children often take part in December too, singing traditional carols and songs from their Christmas performance.
• Orton Village Store in the centre of the village offers Post Office and cash facilities on Market Saturdays as well as local produce, staple groceries, greetings cards, newspapers, magazines and much more.
• Kennedy’s Fine Chocolates and Coffee Shop – Orton has its very own chocolate factory in the centre of the village and many of our shoppers include a visit in their day, whether for an ice cream on a sunny day, a hot chocolate in winter or luxury chocolates any time of the year.