ADAM’S PEARMAIN
Mr Robert Adams first bought this old English dessert apple to notice
in 1826 under the name of Norfolk Pippin. Robert Hogg states in ‘The
Fruit Manual’ that it was exhibited in Herefordshire as Hanging Pearmain,
and that it originated in that county. It is available from a few specialist
nurseries.
ALLINGTON PIPPIN
This mid to late dessert apple was raised in Lincolnshire, England by Thomas
Laxton some time before 1884. It was exhibited originally as Brown’s
South Lincoln Beauty in 1889 by W and J Brown of Stamford and in 1894 received
a First Class Certificate from the RHS under that name. In 1894 the name was
changed to Allington Pippin and it received the Award of Merit. It was introduced
by G Bunyard and Co. in 1896. Earlier in the twentieth century it was widely
grown in Kent, Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely and is still widely listed.
It is often confused with Laxton’s Superb.
(AMERICAN) MOTHER
This is an old American mid season dessert apple. It originated at Bolton,
Worcester County, Massachusetts and was first recorded in 1844. The Herefordshire
‘Pomana’ records that it was Mr Rivers of Sawbridgeworth who introduced
it to England in the early 1800’s. It is noted for its good flavour,
being sweet and aromatic but it needs full sun.
ANNIE ELIZABETH
This fairly old English culinary apple was raised by Samuel Greatorex at Knighton
in Leicester about 1857. It received a First Class Certificate in 1866 and
was introduced at around that time by Messrs. Harrison and Son of Leicester.
It is named after the two daughters of Mr Thomas Harrison, proprietor of the
nursery. It used to be grown commercially and it is still quite widely listed
by nurserymen.
BLENHEIM ORANGE
The Blenheim Orange is one of the loveliest apples of all with its dry distinctive
flavour. It was found at Woodstock near Blenheim in Oxfordshire in about 1740.
It is recorded that a countryman named Kempster planted the original kernel
and the apple, known locally as Kempster’s Pippin began to be catalogued
in about 1818. It received the Banksian Silver Medal in 1820 and thereafter
spread through England to Europe and America.
BRAMLEY’S SEEDLING
The Bramley’s Seedling is the most popular culinary apple in the UK,
occupying an acreage greater than all the other culinary apples combined.
It was raised in a cottage garden in Church Street, Southwell, Nottinghamshire,
by Mary Brailsford from a seed of unknown origin between 1809 and 1813. The
original tree is still in excellent condition. The apple was introduced by
Merryweather, was first exhibited in 1876 and received a First Class Certificate
in 1883. There is a red sport named Crimson Bramley. ???
CHARLES ROSS
This handsome dual purpose apple was raised from Peesgood Nonsuch X Cox’s
Orange Pippin by Charles Ross, gardener to Captain Carstairs at Welford Park
in Berkshire from 1860-1908. This apple was originally named Thomas Andrew
Knight who was president of the RHS. First exhibited in 1890, it received
an Award of Merit in 1899. In that year at Captain Carstairs’s request,
the name was changed and the apple received a First Class Certificate as Charles
Ross.
COX’S ORANGE PIPPIN
Cox’s orange Pippin is regarded as the finest of all English apples
and is the most extensively planted dessert variety in the U.K. It was raised
from pips of a Ribston Pippin in about 1825 at Colnbrook Lawn, near Slough,
Bucks where the original tree grew until destroyed by a storm in 1911. The
man who raised this historic fruit was Richard Cox (1777-1845) a retired brewer
from Bermondsey. It was introduced by Charles Turner in about 1850 and received
the Award of Merit and a First Class Certificate from the RHS in 1962.
EGREMONT RUSSET
The origin of this apple appears to have been lost. It is thought to have
probably originated in England and was first recorded here in 1872. It has
been catalogued by most nurseries since the early part of the last century
and is now the most important commercial russet in the UK, as demand for a
russet apple has encouraged recent planting. It received the Award of Merit
from the RHS in 1980.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS
This is the most widely planted apple in the main fruit growing areas of the
world. It is not always a great success however, as it requires a reasonably
high temperature and a greater light intensity than is usually found in England.
It was produced as a chance seedling found by A H Mullins of Clay Country,
West Virginia in 1890. The parentage is not certain but it is thought possible
to have been from Grimes Golden, open pollinated. It was introduced by Stark
Brothers in 1914
JAMES GRIEVE
A very popular second early dessert apple, raised in Scotland by Mr James
Grieve of Edinburgh. It was open-pollinated from Pott’s Seedling or
from Cox’s Orange Pippin. It was introduced by Dickson’s Nurserymen,
employees of Mr Grieve and first recorded in 1893. It received the Award of
Merit from the RHS in 1897 and a First Class Certificate in 1906. Several
coloured sorts exist. James Grieve is not extensively planted because the
fruits bruise easily and may drop prematurely in warm districts. It prefers
the North, disliking the humid West where it is prone to canker; otherwise
it is hardy and adaptable.
LAXTON’S SUPERB
This late dessert apple was raised in England in 1897 by Laxton Bros. Ltd.
of Bedford from Wyken Pippin X Cox’s Orange Pippin. It received an Award
of Merit in 1919 and a First Class Certificate in 1921. It was introduced
in 1922 and is grown commercially today. The trees can become biennial.
LORD DERBY
This well known mid to late culinary apple was raised in England by Mr Witham,
a nurseryman of Stockport in Cheshire. It was first recorded in 1862. It is
grown on a medium scale commercially in the UK
LORD LAMBOURNE
This fairly well-known mid season dessert apple is of English origin, having
been raised by Messrs. Laxton Bros. of Bedford in 1907 from James Grieve X
Worcester Pearmain. It was introduced by Laxtons in 1923. The RHS awarded
it the Bunyard Cup in 1921and an Award of Merit in 1925. It is grown on a
small scale commercially in the U.K.
QUEEN
This is a fairly old mid-season to late cooking apple. It is of English origin
and was raised in Billericay, Essex, by a farmer named W Bull. The apple was
raised in 1858, apparently from the pips of an apple purchased in the market,
and it first fruited in about 1874. The apple was introduced to commerce in
1880 as The Claimant by Messrs Saltmarsh of Chelmsford and was awarded a First
Class Certificate in that year.
SUNSET
A high quality mid to late season dessert apple which was raised in England
in about 1918. It was raised by Mr G C Addy at Ightham in Kent from a pip
of Cox’s Orange Pippin and introduced jointly by Mr Addy and Mr William
Rogers of Dartford in Kent. It was named in 1933. In 1960 it received the
Award of Merit from the RHS and a First Class Certificate in 1982. It is a
good garden variety, being too small for commercial use.
To complete:-
COCKLE PIPPIN
Surrey 1800, dessert, self-sterile, Pollination Group C
LANE’S PRINCE ALBERT
Introduced in 1857, culinary, Pollination Group C
KING OF THE PIPPINS
Introduced in France in 1770, culinary/dessert, Pollination group D, partially
self-fertile













In September
2003 Jim Arbury of the R.H.S. identified most of the apple and pear trees
in the orchard. We have some fine-tasting old varieties. The orchard walls
are planted with plums, greengages, a fig and climbing roses from the Jekyll
garden.

