We’re delighted to share that Roughway Farm has been awarded two first prizes at the 2025 National Fruit Show, recognising the care, detail and passion that goes into our cobnuts.
This year we achieved:
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1st Place – Class 50: Kentish Cobnuts
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1st Place – Class 51: Any Other Variety (AOV) – Gunslebert
Our entries scored superbly on the official judging cards:
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Kentish Cobnuts – 93 points, including a perfect 20/20 for taste
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Gunslebert – 94 points, including an impressive 19/20 for taste
The judges assessed each exhibit on key quality measures such as uniformity of size, freedom from pests and disease, appearance and condition, fullness of kernel, and flavour.
Their scores highlight what we aim for every season: well-filled shells, consistent grading, and nuts that deliver outstanding eating quality.
Kentish Cobnuts
The Kentish Cobnut is a traditional variety deeply rooted in the heritage of the Weald and North Downs. Thought to have been developed from wild hazels in the 19th century, it’s prized for its compact clusters, strong shells, and sweet, creamy flavour.
At Roughway Farm, our Kentish Cobnut orchards include some of the oldest plantings in the county, managed using a blend of traditional coppicing and modern orchard care. The nuts are harvested when the husks just begin to turn golden, ensuring the kernel is plump and full of natural oils.
The 2025 National Fruit Show judges recognised this balance perfectly, awarding our Kentish Cobnuts full marks for taste (20/20) — celebrating their rich, classic flavour and excellent kernel fullness.
Gunslebert
The Gunslebert variety, of continental origin, is one of the finest modern hazelnut cultivars adapted to the Kent climate. Known for its larger nut size, striped shell, and high kernel-to-shell ratio, it’s become a favourite among both growers and consumers seeking a generous, well-filled nut.
Our Gunsleberts are grown in select orchards where sunlight, drainage, and soil health create ideal growing conditions. The result is a nut that combines visual appeal with eating quality — smooth shells, uniform shape, and a distinctive, buttery flavour.
The judges awarded our entry 94 points, including 19/20 for taste, describing the nuts as “exceptionally uniform and beautifully filled.”
Together, these two varieties show the depth and diversity of cobnut growing in Kent — from the heritage of the Kentish Cobnut to the precision and productivity of Gunslebert.
About the National Fruit Show
Founded in 1933, the National Fruit Show is the leading showcase for British fruit and nut growing. Hosted in Kent, it brings together growers, marketers and industry experts to champion home-grown quality and innovation.
Judging at the show is famously exacting. Success isn’t about how produce looks on the day alone; it reflects the work of the whole year — pruning, crop care, harvest timing, and careful hand grading. That’s why these firsts mean so much to us.