Their story
Southdown Cider is a small artisan cider and apple juice maker near Shepton Montague, run by Oliver Dowding since 2011 from an orchard planted around 1996. The farm grows around 10 acres of certified organic orchard and also takes apples from local gardens, schools and farms grown without fertilisers or chemicals. It makes a Mainly Bramley apple juice alongside Premium and Festival ciders and single-variety ciders from Dabinett and Kingston Black, which the maker says sell out quickly. Its ciders and juice have won a run of regional awards in recent years, including gold medals at the Taste of the West and British Cider Championships. The online shop is currently listed as under construction, with sales handled directly through the maker.
About 10 acres of their own certified organic orchard, plus apples from local gardens, schools and farms grown without fertilisers or chemicals.
Apples and pears they nameDabinett, Kingston Black, Bramley
What they make
- Mainly Bramley apple juice
- Premium dry and medium cider
- Festival dry, medium and sweet cider
- Dabinett single variety cider
- Kingston Black single variety cider
- Spiced apple juice seasonal
Visiting
Online shop listed as under construction as of September 2026; the maker asks customers to contact them directly to buy.
Where to buy
- Online, direct from the maker dowdings.co.uk
Recent awards
- Gold, Farmhouse medium blend, British Cider Championships 2024
- Silver, Farmhouse Sweet, British Cider Championships 2024
- Gold, Farmhouse medium blend, Somerset Cider Championships 2024
- Gold, Mainly Bramley apple juice, Taste of the West Awards 2023
- Bronze, RC 2024 Dry, Royal Bath & West Show 2025