The apples

Where the cider apples and perry pears were first found or raised, traced to a parish or town wherever the records allow.

54cider apples

27perry pears

79eating and cooking

Fig. 1Where each variety was first found. Solid dots are a village or town; hollow dots mean the records only name a district.

Cider apples54

Ashton Bitter1947Long Ashton, Somerset; bittersweetDeliberately bred by G. T. Spinks at the Long Ashton Research Station in 1947, crossing Dabinett with Stoke Red to produce an earlier-ripening bittersweet for the cider industry.Named by Henney's Cider
Ashton Brown Jerseyearly 20th century (from 1903)Long Ashton, Somerset; bittersweetRaised at the National Fruit and Cider Institute at Long Ashton, near Bristol, in the years after the research station opened in 1903.
Backwell Rednot precisely datedBackwell, Somerset; sharpAn old cider apple named after and traditionally associated with the village of Backwell in North Somerset; no individual raiser is recorded.
Bickington Greynot recordedBickington, Devon; sharpA rare sharp cider apple recorded from the Bickington area near Newton Abbot in south Devon.
Breakwell's Seedlingc. 1890near Monmouth (Perthyre Farm), MonmouthshireFound as a chance wild seedling at Perthyre Farm near Monmouth by farmer George Breakwell, who propagated it once he noticed the fruit's quality. H.P. Bulmer & Co later marketed it commercially and it spread into many Herefordshire orchards.Named by Orchards Cider and Perry Co
Brown Snoutmid-19th centuryYarkhill, Herefordshire; bittersweetReputedly discovered around the mid-1800s on a Mr Dent's farm at Yarkhill, it was later propagated by H. P. Bulmer and planted widely across the west Midlands.Named by Burrow Hill Cider / The Somerset Cider Brandy Company, Honey's Cider, Seb's Cider, The Orgasmic Cider Company, West Croft Cider
Brown's Appleearly 1920sStaverton, near Totnes, Devon; bittersharpA chance seedling found by Hill, a nurseryman and cider maker at Staverton near Totnes, and from there planted out across Devon and Dorset orchards.Named by Fair Oak Cider, Greggs Pit Cider & Perry, JP Cider
Broxwood Foxwhelpsport found probably 19th centuryBroxwood, Herefordshire; bittersharpA natural sport of the old Foxwhelp found at Broxwood, near Pembridge; Foxwhelp is known for throwing off such variants, of which this is the best known.Named by Hecks Farmhouse Cider
Cadwaladrdate unrecordedBrecon, BreconshireA mid-season cider apple traditionally associated with the Brecon area of mid Wales; no more precise findspot or date has survived in the record.
Cap of Libertyfirst listed 1873Martock, Somerset; bittersharpA very old variety from the Martock area of central Somerset, first formally listed in 1873, though local tradition places it much earlier.
Chisel Jersey19th centuryMartock, Somerset; bittersweetFirst grown around Martock, where for roughly a century it was planted almost nowhere else. Long Ashton Research Station later found it was probably one parent of Dabinett.Named by Pulpt, Rawlins Family Cider, Seb's Cider, Sheppy's Cider
Coat Jerseyrecorded 1950sCoat, Somerset; bittersweetNamed after Coat, a small settlement in the Kingsbury Episcopi parish near Martock in central Somerset, where it was grown and recorded among local cider varieties.
Crimson Kinglate 19th centuryChardstock, Devon; sharpPropagated by a grower named John Toucher at Bewley Down, in the parish of Chardstock on the Devon-Dorset-Somerset border. It is sold today under the joint name Crimson King / Fair Maid of Devon.Named by Dinnington Cider Press
Croen Mochync. 1850Around Anglesey, Isle of AngleseyA second, later Anglesey variety carrying a pig-snout name, distinct from Trwyn Mochyn, recorded from the mid-19th century.
Cummy Normanbefore 1876Presteigne, Radnorshire; bittersharpAccording to the pomologist Robert Hogg, this apple was raised at a place called Cummy in Radnorshire; it was described in the Herefordshire Pomona of 1876 and later revived by H.P. Bulmer & Co. for use in their cider.
Dabinettfound around 1900 (sources differ)Middle Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset; bittersweetA self-sown seedling spotted by William Dabinett on a hedgebank at Middle Lambrook, near South Petherton. Chisel Jersey is thought to be one of its parents, and it grew into one of the most widely planted bittersweets in the South West.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co, Alkington Cidery, Avalon Vineyard (Pennard Organic Wines), Barbourne Cider, Bennett's Cider, Bere Cider Company, Bridge Farm Cider, Dowding's (Southdown Cider)
and 30 more
Fair Oak Cider, Fruitfields, Greggs Pit Cider & Perry, Harry's Cider, Hartlands Farmhouse Traditional Cider, Hayles Fruit Farm, Henney's Cider, JP Cider, Kicking Goat Cider, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Moons Cider, Oliver's Cider and Perry, Orchard Revival Cider, Perry's Cider, Pershore Press, Pips Cider, Rawlins Family Cider, Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company, Seb's Cider, Severn Cider, Sheppy's Cider, Stones Cider, The Cider Syndicate (Proper Drop), The Newt in Somerset, The Parrett Cider Company, Torre Cider Farm, Townsend Farm, Ty Gwyn Cider, Wadys Cider, Yarcle Cyder
Doverecorded 1899Glastonbury, SomersetA Somerset cider apple recorded at Glastonbury in 1899, among the county's many local farmhouse cider varieties.
Dufflin19th centuryKea, Cornwall; bittersharpAn old bittersharp cider apple recorded growing in the Kea district near Truro in the 19th century; its exact origin is disputed, with some records instead pointing to Devon or Taunton in Somerset. Origin disputed.
Dunkerton's Late1940sBaltonsborough, Somerset; sweetRaised by a Mr Dunkerton of Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, from a seedling saved from apple pomace in the 1940s.
Dymock Redfirst mentioned 1670Dymock, Gloucestershire; bittersweetRecorded in John Evelyn's Pomona of 1670 and thought to descend from bittersweet apples that Lord Scudamore had earlier imported from France. The parish of Dymock is unusual in having an apple, a pear and a plum all called Dymock Red.Named by Bushel+Peck Cider & Perry, Chiblers, Seb's Cider
Ellis Bittermid-19th centuryNewton St Cyres, Devon; bittersweetFirst grown around Crediton; one account puts its beginnings on a Mr Ellis's farm at Newton St Cyres. It was later distributed widely by growers contracted to H. P. Bulmer.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co
Fillbarrellate 19th centurySutton Montis, SomersetRecorded from Woolston, a hamlet in the parish of Sutton Montis in south Somerset, as a heavy-cropping cider variety valued for the sheer volume of juice it gave.
Foxwhelpfirst recorded 1664Around Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire; bittersharpJohn Evelyn praised cider made from the Fox-whelp of the Forest of Dean in his 1664 Pomona, calling it the strongest cider though one that needed two or three years to be ready. No single finder or village is recorded, only the forest district.Named by Artistraw Cider, Barley Wood Cider, Cwm Maddoc Cider and Perry - Hollow Ash Orchard, Dinnington Cider Press, Gwatkin Cider, Henhope Cider, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company
and 1 more
The Orgasmic Cider Company
Golden Ballon record before 1883Stoke Abbott, Dorset; sharpA West Dorset cider apple from the Stoke Abbott and Netherbury area near Beaminster, made famous by Netherbury cidermaker Harry Warren, whose Golden Ball cider won national prizes. It was rediscovered from a 1930s list of Dorset varieties by cider pomologist Liz Copas.
Goringnot recordedTedburn St Mary, DevonRecorded as a traditional cider apple of Tedburn St Mary, west of Exeter, alongside other local varieties such as Halstow Natural and Johnny Andrews.
Hagloe Crabc. 1720Awre (Hagloe), GloucestershireRaised from a pip at Hagloe, a tything in the Severnside parish of Awre, and brought to wider notice by a Mr Bellamy who lived there. William Marshall recorded it in his 1796 survey of Gloucestershire farming, and Robert Hogg later praised the cider it made.
Halstow Naturalnot recordedTedburn St Mary, DevonRecorded as a traditional cider apple of Tedburn St Mary, west of Exeter, alongside other local varieties such as Goring and Johnny Andrews.
Hangdownnot recordedGlastonbury, Somerset; bittersweetGrown widely in Somerset and North Devon; sources most often place its first appearance near Glastonbury, though one account instead points to the Axminster area of Devon. Origin disputed.
Harry Masters Jerseybefore 1900Yarlington, Somerset; bittersweetRaised by Harry Masters, the miller at Yarlington Mill who also popularised the apple of that name, probably as a seedling of Yarlington Mill itself.Named by Avalon Vineyard (Pennard Organic Wines), Barbourne Cider, Barley Wood Cider, Bridge Farm Cider, Ty Gwyn Cider
Herefordshire Redstreakc. 1630s-1660sHolme Lacy, Herefordshire; bittersharpRaised, or at least first promoted, by John Scudamore, 1st Viscount Scudamore, on his estate at Holme Lacy after his return as ambassador to France. He planted it widely and it became the apple that made Herefordshire's name as England's premier cider county.
Improved Lambrook Pippin20th century selection from the older Lambrook PippinSouth Petherton, Somerset; sharpA later selection made from the traditional Lambrook Pippin of the South Petherton district in Somerset, kept in cultivation after the original form became scarce.
Johnny Andrewsnot recordedTedburn St Mary, DevonRecorded as a traditional cider apple of Tedburn St Mary, a village west of Exeter in mid Devon known for several old local cider varieties.
Kingston Blackrecorded by 1826Kingston St Mary, Somerset; bittersharpIt arose in the orchards of Kingston St Mary, near Taunton, where it was first called simply the black apple before taking the village's name. It reached the London Horticultural Society's catalogue in 1826.Named by Barley Wood Cider, Bere Cider Company, Bridge Farm Cider, Burrow Hill Cider / The Somerset Cider Brandy Company, Chiblers, Commonwood Farm, Dowding's (Southdown Cider), Greggs Pit Cider & Perry
and 13 more
JP Cider, King Brain Drinks, Lyne Down Cider and Perry, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Rawlins Family Cider, Sheppy's Cider, Stones Cider, The Newt in Somerset, Ty Gwyn Cider, West Croft Cider, Wilding Cider, Wilkins Cider Farm, Woodredding Cider
Lambrook Pippin19th centurySouth Petherton, Somerset; bittersharpAn old Somerset variety from the Lambrook area of South Petherton parish, the same district that produced Dabinett; thought to be a parent of the later Porter's Perfection. It became so scarce that cider makers spent years searching for surviving trees.
Major19th century or earlierAround Blackdown Hills, Devon; bittersweetAn old farm-orchard variety of South Devon and the Somerset side of the Blackdown Hills; no single finder or village is recorded.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co, JP Cider, Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company
Northwood18th centuryCrediton, Devon; sweetA pure sweet cider apple from the Crediton area of mid Devon, also known as Woodbine for the honeysuckle-like aroma of its juice.
Paignton Marigoldpre-1834Paignton, DevonAn old cider variety recorded at Paignton on the south Devon coast before 1834, in what was then a town with a strong local nursery and orcharding trade.
Pennard Bitterlate 19th centuryWest Pennard, SomersetPropagated at West Pennard, near Glastonbury, by a local grower remembered only as Mr Heal.
Pig Aderyntradition traces it to the Norman era; undated in modern termsSt Dogmaels, PembrokeshireAssociated with the village of St Dogmaels, near the ruined abbey, and traditionally linked to the Norman period, though this is oral tradition rather than a documentary record. Local tradition.
Porter's Perfectionintroduced 1907East Lambrook, Somerset; bittersharpRaised by Charles Porter at East Lambrook and introduced in 1907, giving a mild-tannin bittersharp juice that is well balanced enough to stand as a single-variety cider.Named by Hecks Farmhouse Cider, Perry's Cider
Somerset Redstreaklate 1800s, trialled 1917Sutton Montis, Somerset; bittersweetThought to have arisen around Sutton Montis; it performed well in an official 1917 trial at the National Fruit and Cider Institute, which led to its wide planting in commercial orchards.Named by Dinnington Cider Press, JP Cider, Kicking Goat Cider, Nempnett Cider Company (Piglet's Choice), Rawlins Family Cider, Seb's Cider, The Cider Syndicate (Proper Drop)
Stable Jerseynot recordedShepton Mallet, SomersetRecorded as a traditional cider variety of the Shepton Mallet area of Somerset, part of the same Jersey-type family as Chisel Jersey and Harry Masters Jersey.
Stembridge Clusterlate 19th / early 20th centuryStembridge, SomersetRaised in the Kingsbury Episcopi parish of central Somerset, in or near the hamlet of Stembridge; local tradition credits a grower remembered as Sam Duck.Named by Bridge Farm Cider, North Down Orchard, Stones Cider
Stembridge Jerseymid-20th century; entered the National Fruit Collection in 1989Stembridge, Somerset; bittersweetA chance seedling that appeared in the Kingsbury Episcopi area of central Somerset. The Somerset nurseryman W. J. Stuckey selected and named it after the nearby hamlet of Stembridge.Named by Kicking Goat Cider
Stoke Reddiscovered around 1920Rodney Stoke, Somerset; bittersharpNamed after and discovered around Rodney Stoke, though the same tree seems to have been grown earlier at nearby Wedmore under the name Neverblight.Named by Avalon Vineyard (Pennard Organic Wines), Burrow Hill Cider / The Somerset Cider Brandy Company, Gwatkin Cider, Kicking Goat Cider, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Oliver's Cider and Perry, Seb's Cider, The Orgasmic Cider Company
and 1 more
Wilding Cider
Styrebefore c. 1600Coleford, Gloucestershire; bittersharpAn old apple of the Forest of Dean, thriving on the Forest's thin limestone soils; its name may derive from Old English. It was praised by the poet John Philips in 1708 for the strong, long-keeping cider it made.
Sweet Coppinearly 1700sExeter, Devon; sweetAn old Devon variety said to have originated around Exeter in the early 18th century, typical of the low-acid, low-tannin sweet apples that once dominated Devon cider orchards.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co, Avalon Vineyard (Pennard Organic Wines), King Brain Drinks, Moons Cider
Tale Sweetearly 20th century (accounts vary between about 1906 and 1930)Payhembury, Devon; bittersweetAssociated with Tale, a hamlet near Payhembury in East Devon; one account credits a Mr Daniels of Higher Tale Farm, Payhembury, with introducing it around 1930, while another gives a record date of 1906. Origin disputed.
Tan Harveytrees found in 1980Gunnislake, Cornwall; bittersweetOld trees were found growing in the Tamar Valley on the Cornwall-Devon border in 1980 by James Evans; Gunnislake, in the parish of Calstock, is the valley's main village.
Taylor's19th centurySouth Petherton, Somerset; sweetAn old sweet cider variety recorded around South Petherton in south Somerset, in the same cider-apple-rich district as Dabinett and Lambrook Pippin.
Tom Puttlate 1700sGittisham, Devon; sharpCredited to Thomas 'Black Tom' Putt of Combe House, Gittisham, a barrister who won prizes for it at Honiton fairs before his death in 1787. A rival account instead credits his nephew, the Rev. Thomas Putt of Trent in Dorset.Named by JP Cider, Skittery Apple Juice and Cider
Tremlett's Bitterc. 1880Around Exe Valley, Devon; bittersweetThe variety takes its name from a long-established Devon family; no individual raiser is recorded, only that it emerged somewhere in the Exe Valley in the late 19th century. It later became a standard component of Taunton Cider's West Country orchard mix.Named by Bartestree Cider Co, Henney's Cider, JP Cider, Sheppy's Cider
White Jersey19th centurySouth Cadbury, SomersetRecorded from the area near Cadbury Castle, close to South Cadbury in south Somerset, as one of the county's traditional Jersey-type cider apples.Named by The Orgasmic Cider Company
Yarlington Millfound between the 1870s and 1898 (sources differ)Yarlington, Somerset; bittersweetA chance seedling found sprouting from a wall beside the mill stream at Yarlington, credited to a member of the Bartlett family. The Somerset grower Harry Masters is said to have spread it, first across Somerset and then into Devon.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co, Alkington Cidery, Avalon Vineyard (Pennard Organic Wines), Barbourne Cider, Bere Cider Company, Colcombe House Cider, Greggs Pit Cider & Perry, Gwatkin Cider
and 21 more
Hartlands Farmhouse Traditional Cider, Henney's Cider, Kicking Goat Cider, King Brain Drinks, Loader's Cider, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Moons Cider, Pearson's Cider, Rawlins Family Cider, Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company, Severn Cider, Sheppy's Cider, Stones Cider, The Cider Syndicate (Proper Drop), The Newt in Somerset, The Orgasmic Cider Company, West Croft Cider, Wilding Cider, Wilkins Cider Farm, Woodredding Cider, Yarcle Cyder

Perry pears27

Barlandcultivation recorded from 1656Bosbury, HerefordshireThe parent tree stood in Bosbury parish, in a field known as the Bare Lands, and had blown down some years before 1811. The Rev. John Beale described a famous Bosbury pear as too hard even for pigs to eat as early as 1656, and it appears in Evelyn's Pomona of 1670.Named by Bartestree Cider Co
Bartestree Squashdate unrecordedBartestree, HerefordshireNamed from and traditionally raised in the Herefordshire village of Bartestree, east of Hereford.
Bearman's Gennetrecorded by 1878Quedgeley, GloucestershireFound on a farm south of Gloucester; an 1878 account noted that few homesteads in the area were then without an old Early Jennet tree still fruiting heavily.
Betty Prosserdate unrecordedMonmouth, MonmouthshireFirst thought in 1995 to be a wholly new discovery on a remote farm at Corse, Gloucestershire, until researchers found it already recorded in old Long Ashton Research Station papers as growing near Monmouth, where it was later traced to several orchards.
Black Worcester Pearrecorded by 1388Old Warden, BedfordshireFirst documented among Cistercian monks at Warden Abbey, Old Warden, by 1388; it later became strongly associated with Worcester, whose coat of arms carries three of these pears, and Worcestershire County Council has since planted hundreds of trees to restore the local link.
Blakeney Redknown by 1600, popularised 1830sBlakeney, GloucestershireNamed after the Forest of Dean village of Blakeney, where a few trees are said to be older than three centuries; thought to be a cross of Red Longdon and Thorn. It was widely planted from the 1830s, and in the First World War the dye industry used its fruit to make khaki for soldiers' uniforms.Named by 99 Pines, Barbourne Cider, Butford Organics, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry, Nempnett Cider Company (Piglet's Choice), Orchards Cider and Perry Co, Ty Gwyn Cider
Brandypopular by the 19th centuryAround Forest of Dean, GloucestershireAn old perry pear particularly associated with the Forest of Dean district in the 19th century; no single village or raiser is recorded.Named by Barbourne Cider, Commonwood Farm, JP Cider
Buttdate unrecordedNorton, GloucestershireTraditionally associated with the village of Norton, just north of Gloucester, and known by the old saying that fruit gathered one year should be milled the next and drunk the year after, since it is so slow to break down.Named by Commonwood Farm, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry
Ginrecorded since the early 1500sMay Hill area, HerefordshireOne of the old perry pears of the parishes around May Hill on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border, mentioned as early as John Gerard's 1597 Herball; inedible raw, it was grown purely for pressing.Named by 99 Pines, Bartestree Cider Co, Commonwood Farm, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry
Green Horsedate unrecordedNewent, GloucestershireA traditional perry pear of north and north-west Gloucestershire, the orchard country around Newent and the Forest of Dean.
Hartpury Greenrecorded from 1660Hartpury, GloucestershireRecorded from as early as 1660 at Hartpury; an 1807 account by the Archdeacon of Gloucester noted its perry was so strong it was almost flammable.
Hellen's Earlydate unrecordedMuch Marcle, HerefordshireTraced to the historic Hellens estate at Much Marcle, where one of the original trees still grows in the estate avenue.
Hellen's Greenplanted 1710Much Marcle, HerefordshirePart of an avenue planted at the Hellens estate, Much Marcle, in 1710 to mark the coronation of Queen Anne; the variety was lost and then rediscovered when Herbert Durham's 1923 photograph album of local pears came to light.
Hendre Huffcapfirst recorded 1923north Gloucestershire, GloucestershireOne of several similarly-named 'Huffcap' perry pears from the Three Counties district; despite its Welsh-sounding name no Welsh connection is recorded, and the exact parish of origin is uncertain.Named by Bartestree Cider Co, Butford Organics, Hecks Farmhouse Cider
Holmernot recorded; an old Herefordshire varietyHolmer, HerefordshireTakes its name from the parish of Holmer, just north of Hereford, one of the many perry pears named for the Three Counties parishes where they were grown.
Littleton Late Treacledate unrecordedLittleton, WorcestershireA possible match for the old Late Treacle variety, found growing in the Worcestershire village of Littleton, near Evesham, and named for that village to distinguish it from the (separately rediscovered) Gloucestershire Late Treacle.
Merrylegsdate unrecordedWestbury-on-Severn, GloucestershireFound on the eastern fringe of the Forest of Dean; no more precise findspot has been traced.
Moorcrofttrees recorded as old by 1884Colwall, HerefordshireNamed after Moorcroft Farm in Colwall, where the Victorian pomologists Hogg and Bull recorded a number of already-old trees in 1884. Its 'Stinking Bishop' name is said to come from Percy Bishop, a colourful farmer who lived there.Named by 99 Pines, Bartestree Cider Co, Butford Organics, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry
Oldfieldcenturies old, exact date unrecordedLeddington, GloucestershireLong regarded as the finest of all perry pears, traditionally sourced to Oldfield at Leddington near Dymock, and long kept as a single-variety perry said to rival good French wine.Named by 99 Pines, Cwm Maddoc Cider and Perry - Hollow Ash Orchard, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry
Parsonagedate unrecordedKempley, GloucestershireRecorded from the village of Kempley in the Gloucestershire orchard country near Dymock; noted as the earliest perry pear tree to break into growth each spring.
Rockbelieved early 19th centuryPendock, WorcestershireBelieved to have first grown at Pendock, on the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border, early in the nineteenth century.Named by Hecks Farmhouse Cider, Minchew's Real Cider & Perry
Taynton Squashprobably 17th centuryTaynton, GloucestershireNamed after the village of Taynton, where John Evelyn recorded in 1670 that the Squash Pear made the best perry in the area. By the 1700s perry made from Taynton Squash alone was being sold in London as a stand-in for champagne.Named by 99 Pines
Teddington Greencomparatively recent (19th/20th century)Teddington, GloucestershireA relatively modern perry pear said to have originated at Teddington Manor in the Gloucestershire village of Teddington.
Thornrecorded by the 17th centuryMay Hill area, GloucestershireOne of the oldest perry pears, recorded for its vintage quality as long ago as the 17th century; like most old perry pears it comes from the parishes clustered around May Hill on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border rather than any single named village.Named by 99 Pines, Bartestree Cider Co, Butford Organics, Commonwood Farm, Greggs Pit Cider & Perry
Thurston's Reddate unrecordedDymock, GloucestershireThought to have begun life at the White House in the centre of Dymock, perhaps raised by a William Thurston, who gave it his name.
White Bachedate unrecordedKempley, GloucestershireTraced to the village of Kempley, in the same stretch of Gloucestershire orchard country that also gave rise to the perry pear Parsonage.
Winnal's Longdonc. 1790Weston-under-Penyard, HerefordshireRaised by a Mr Winnal at Weston-under-Penyard, near Ross-on-Wye, and introduced from there around 1790.Named by Commonwood Farm, Greggs Pit Cider & Perry

Eating and cooking apples79

Afal Diamond1825Dyffryn Ardudwy, GwyneddLocal tradition in Dyffryn Ardudwy holds that the tree grew from apples salvaged from the wreck of the ship Diamond in 1825, giving the variety its name. Local tradition.
Afal Enllitree found 1999; tradition holds it is far olderBardsey Island, GwyneddA single ancient apple tree found on Bardsey Island in 1999, believed by local tradition to be the last survivor of an orchard tended by monks who lived on the island roughly a thousand years ago. Local tradition.
Anglesey Pig's Snout1600sAround Anglesey, Isle of AngleseyAn old Anglesey cooking apple, said to date from the 17th century and named, like several other Welsh varieties, after the snout-like shape of the fruit.
Annie Elizabeth1850sKnighton, Leicester, LeicestershireRaised by an unrecorded family at Knighton, then a village outside Leicester, and said to be named after a daughter of the household who died young.Named by Cwm Maddoc Cider and Perry - Hollow Ash Orchard
Arbroath Oslintradition dates it to the 12th century; documented by 1815Arbroath, AngusOne of Scotland's oldest named apples, traditionally grown in the orchards of the Cistercian monks of Arbroath Abbey from the 1100s, though the earliest firm written record is from the early 19th century.
Ard Cairn Russet1890Cork, County CorkDiscovered in 1890 at the Ard Cairn nursery run by the Hartland family in Cork, and awarded an RHS Award of Merit in 1910.
Arlingham Schoolboysknown before 1914Arlingham, GloucestershireA local variety named for the Severnside village of Arlingham, one of a scatter of village-named apples that grew in the orchards strung along the Severn from Sharpness to Evesham. Used both for eating and, like its Severnside neighbours, for cider.
Ashmead's Kernel18th centuryGloucester, GloucestershireTraditionally raised in Gloucester by a Dr Ashmead, though the Gloucestershire Orchard Group has suggested it may instead be the work of a lawyer, William Ashmead, who died in 1782. It descends from Nonpareil.Named by Barley Wood Cider, Bushel+Peck Cider & Perry, Cwm Maddoc Cider and Perry - Hollow Ash Orchard
Ballyfatten1802Ballyfatten, near Newtownstewart, County TyroneNamed after the townland of Ballyfatten in County Tyrone, where it was first recorded in 1802 and long remained a popular local cooking apple.
Barnack Beauty1840sBarnack, LincolnshireSaid to have grown from a seed planted at Barnack, near Stamford, in the 1840s by Mrs Betty Geeson, and was introduced commercially around 1870 by the Stamford nursery firm W. & J. Brown.
Beauty of Bathpropagated 1864Bailbrook, Bath, SomersetFirst propagated by George Cooling from a tree found at Bailbrook House near Bath, and awarded an RHS First Class Certificate in 1887.
Beauty of Hantsbefore 1850Bassett, Southampton, HampshireRaised before 1850 in the garden of Mrs Eyre Crabbe at Bassett, then on the edge of Southampton, and said to be a chance seedling from open-pollinated Blenheim Orange.
Blenheim Orangec. 1740Old Woodstock, OxfordshireA tailor named George Kempster grew the original tree from a kernel in his garden at Old Woodstock, near Blenheim Palace. It was first catalogued around 1818 and won a Banksian Silver Medal in 1820, after which it spread across England, Europe and America.
Bloody Ploughman1883Errol (Megginch estate), PerthshireTraditionally said to have grown from apple pips found in the pocket of a ploughman shot dead for poaching fruit from the Megginch estate near Errol; his widow tipped the apples onto a rubbish heap, from which a seedling grew and fruited deep blood-red apples.
Bramley's Seedlingplanted 1809Southwell, NottinghamshireA young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, planted the pips in her Southwell garden in 1809. Decades later the cottage's new owner, butcher Matthew Bramley, allowed nurseryman Henry Merryweather to take cuttings on condition the apple carried his own name rather than hers.Named by Ad Astra Cider Co, Dowding's (Southdown Cider), Fruitfields
Bringewood Pippinraised early 19th century, described 1831Downton on the Rock, HerefordshireBred by the pomologist and RHS president Thomas Andrew Knight at Downton Castle, his estate on the Herefordshire/Shropshire border, as a cross of Golden Pippin and Golden Harvey; the nearby Bringewood woods gave it its name.
Brith Mawrdate unrecordedNewport, MonmouthshireA Welsh 'triple purpose' apple, grown for eating, cooking and cider, traditionally associated with the Newport area of south-east Wales.
Cambusnethan Pippinpre-1750Cambusnethan, Clyde Valley, LanarkshireOne account credits it to Mr Paton, gardener at Cambusnethan House in the 1750s; an older, less certain tradition traces it to the Cambusnethan monastery. Either way it belongs to the fruit-growing Clyde Valley.
Charles Rossfirst shown 1890; renamed 1899Welford Park, Newbury, BerkshireRaised by Charles Ross, head gardener at Welford Park near Newbury, from Cox's Orange Pippin crossed with Peasgood's Nonsuch. It was first shown in 1890 under the name Thomas Andrew Knight and was renamed after its raiser in 1899.
Claygate Pearmain1821Claygate, SurreyFound by John Braddick growing wild in a hedge at Claygate, and brought to the Royal Horticultural Society's notice in 1821.
Cockle Pippinc. 1800Godstone, SurreyRaised by a Mr Cockle at Godstone, on the Surrey/Sussex border, around 1800, and went on to be widely grown across both counties through the 19th and into the 20th century.
Colloggett Pippindescribed 1920Botus Fleming (Colloggett Farm), Cornwall; sharpNamed after Colloggett Farm near Botus Fleming in Cornwall's Tamar Valley, and first described in print by the pomologist Edward Bunyard in 1920.
Cornish Gilliflowerfound c. 1800; brought to notice 1813Truro, CornwallFound growing in a cottage garden near Truro around 1800, and brought to the Royal Horticultural Society's attention in 1813 by Sir Christopher Hawkins, who received a silver medal for introducing it.
Coul Blushfirst fruited 1827Coul, near Contin, Ross-shireRaised by Sir George Mackenzie at his Coul estate in Ross-shire; often cited as the most northerly apple variety bred in Britain.
Cox's Orange Pippinc. 1825-1830Colnbrook, BuckinghamshireRaised from a pip by the retired brewer Richard Cox in his garden at Colnbrook. For over a century Ribston Pippin was named as its parent, but DNA analysis published in 2022 and 2023 instead points to Margil and Rosemary Russet; Ribston Pippin shares Margil as a parent, so is a relative, not an ancestor. The nurseryman Charles Turner was selling it by the 1850s.Named by Pershore Press
Crawley Beautyc. 1870Tilgate, near Crawley, SussexDiscovered growing in a garden at Tilgate, near Crawley, and brought into cultivation by the local nursery firm J. Cheal & Sons; it won an RHS Award of Merit in 1912.
D'Arcy Spicebefore 1800Tolleshunt D'Arcy, EssexPossibly a seedling raised in the grounds of Tolleshunt D'Arcy Hall in Essex, from which it takes its name; locally it has long been known simply as 'Spice'.
Discoveryc. 1949Langham, EssexFruit farm worker George Dummer raised seedlings from an open-pollinated Worcester Pearmain at Langham; one young tree survived a hard frost wrapped only in sacking. Suffolk nurseryman Jack Matthews later propagated and released it as Discovery in 1962.Named by Pershore Press, Skittery Apple Juice and Cider, Townsend Farm
Duke of Devonshireraised 1835; introduced 1875Holker (Cark-in-Cartmel), CumbriaRaised at Holker Hall, seat of the Duke of Devonshire, by Wilson, the head gardener, in 1835, though it was not introduced commercially until 1875.
Ecklinville Seedlingbefore 1800Portaferry (Ecklinville), County DownSaid to have been raised from a pip by a gardener called Logan at Ecklinville, near Portaferry, and was widely grown commercially through the 19th century.
Egremont Russetfirst recorded 1872Petworth, SussexFirst recorded in 1872, it is usually credited to the Earl of Egremont's estate at Petworth, though who actually raised it is poorly documented.Named by Fruitfields
Ellison's Orangec. 1904Bracebridge, Lincoln, LincolnshireRaised around 1904 by the Rev. Charles Christopher Ellison at Bracebridge Manse near Lincoln, crossing Calville Blanc with Cox's Orange Pippin; the Lincoln seed merchants Pennells introduced it in 1911.
Emneth Earlyfirst sold 1899Emneth, NorfolkRaised by William 'Billy' Lynn at Emneth by crossing Lord Grosvenor with Keswick Codlin, and first sold by the Wisbech nurserymen Cross's in 1899.
Flower of Kentgrowing there by the 1660sWoolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, LincolnshireDespite its name pointing to Kent, the only firmly documented tree is the one at Woolsthorpe Manor that Isaac Newton reportedly watched drop an apple in the 1660s, an event later linked to his thinking on gravity.
Frederick1800sColeford, Gloucestershire; sharpA wild seedling discovered in the Forest of Dean in the 1800s and brought into cultivation; it became a widely planted Victorian-era cider and cooking apple on the Wales/Gloucestershire border.Named by Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company
Galloway Pippinbrought to notice 1871; thought olderWigtown, WigtownshireSaid to have come from garden orchards at Wigtown, though no record supports the tradition that it originated at 'Wigtown Abbey'; it was awarded a First Class Certificate by the RHS in 1871. Local tradition.
Gennet Moyleat least 16th century, possibly earlierHereford, HerefordshireOne of the oldest named Herefordshire cider apples, already prized by the mid-17th century. The writer John Beale rated its cider above even the famous Redstreak in 1656, calling it mild enough for ladies to drink in summer. Origin disputed.
Golden Bittersweetlate 19th centuryFarway, Devon; bittersweetRaised by a Mr Rendall of Netherton Manor, which stands in the parish of Farway in East Devon, a few miles south-east of Honiton. Described in print by Robert Hogg in 1884 and later rediscovered by a Devon nursery.
Golden Noblepresented 1820Stow Bardolph, near Downham Market, NorfolkFound as a chance seedling near Downham Market by Patrick Flanagan, head gardener to Sir Thomas Hare of Stow Bardolph Hall, who presented it to the Horticultural Society of London in 1820.
Golden Pippinfirst recorded 1629Parham, West SussexFirst recorded by the herbalist John Parkinson in 1629; several early writers place its first appearance at Parham Park near Arundel, though even they admitted the exact when and where were already uncertain by the time they wrote. Origin disputed.
Gwell na Mil17th centuryMonmouth, MonmouthshireA Monmouthshire variety whose Welsh name translates as 'better than a thousand', traditionally dated to the 1600s around Monmouth. Local tradition.
Hawthorndenpre-1780Lasswade (Hawthornden), MidlothianNamed for the Hawthornden estate on the North Esk near Lasswade, though the person who first raised the seedling is not recorded; the variety was already established by the late 18th century.
Howgate Wonder1915-16Bembridge, Isle of WightRaised by G. Wratten on Howgate Lane, Bembridge, from a Blenheim Orange x Newton Wonder cross, and introduced commercially by Stuart Low & Co in 1932.
Irish Peachknown before 1819Longford House, near Collooney, County SligoBelieved to come from the orchards of the Crofton family at Longford House near Collooney, County Sligo. It was presented to the Royal Horticultural Society in London in 1819 by Kilkenny nurseryman John Robertson.
James Grievebefore 1893Edinburgh, MidlothianRaised by the nurseryman James Grieve in Edinburgh, probably by pollinating Pott's Seedling or Cox's Orange Pippin, and specifically valued for coping with the Scottish climate.
Keegan's Crabc. 1880Ballyhegan, Loughgall, County ArmaghThe original tree grew at Ballyhegan, near Loughgall in County Armagh's orchard country, from around 1880, and has since been preserved as part of Ireland's heritage apple collections.
Kerry Pippinfirst recorded 1802Kilkenny, County KilkennyFirst recorded growing around Kilkenny in the early 19th century, despite the name's suggestion of County Kerry, and widely grown across Ireland through the 1800s.
Keswick Codlinbefore 1793Gleaston, near Ulverston, CumbriaTurned up as a chance seedling on a waste heap at Gleaston Castle, close to Ulverston, and was then propagated and named by John Sander, a nurseryman in Keswick.
Lane's Prince Albertraised 1841; introduced 1850Berkhamsted, HertfordshireA seedling found by Berkhamsted Quaker Thomas Squire, transplanted to mark Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's visit to the town in 1841, and later introduced commercially by nurseryman John Lane in 1850.
Laxton's Superbbred 1897, introduced 1922Bedford, BedfordshireBred by the Victorian nursery firm Laxton Brothers of Bedford, crossing Wyken Pippin-derived Cellini with Cox's Orange Pippin, and introduced commercially in 1922.
Longney Russetfirst recorded 1796Longney, GloucestershireNamed for the Severnside village of Longney, another of the local cider-and-eating apples that filled the string of orchards along the Gloucestershire bank of the Severn described in 1880s accounts of the district.
Lord Derby1862Stockport, CheshireRaised by the nurseryman B. W. Witham at Stockport, then on the Cheshire/Lancashire border, believed to be a seedling of Catshead.
Lord Lambourneraised 1907; introduced 1923Bedford, BedfordshireRaised by Laxton Bros nurserymen at Bedford in 1907, a cross of James Grieve and Worcester Pearmain, and named after a former RHS president.Named by Ellenden Farm (Ellenden Cider)
Lord Suffieldplanted 1836Rhodes, Middleton, LancashireRaised from seed by handloom weaver Thomas Thorpe in his cottage garden on Boardman Lane in Rhodes, near Middleton, and planted out in 1836 in the orchard of Middleton Old Hall, the estate of Lord Suffield, from whom it took its name.
Manks Codlinfirst fruited 1815Ballanard, Isle of ManRaised by a Mr Kewley at Ballanard on the Isle of Man, first fruiting in 1815, and later grown widely across the north of Britain and Scotland for its hardiness.
Marged Nicolas19th centuryLlandeilo, CarmarthenshireA nineteenth-century Welsh apple associated with the Dinefwr estate near Llandeilo in the Tywi valley, used both as an eating apple and for cider.
Newton Wonder1870King's Newton, DerbyshireWilliam Taylor, landlord of the Hardinge Arms at King's Newton, spotted a seedling growing in the pub's roof-gutter and planted it out in the garden, where it fruited as Newton Wonder.
Norfolk Beefingrecorded at Mannington Hall in 1698Mannington, NorfolkThe earliest known record of the variety is in the estate records of Mannington Hall in Norfolk from 1698; some pomologists suspect a continental origin, but Norfolk is where its long documented history begins.
Onibury Pippinc. 1800Onibury, ShropshireRaised by Thomas Andrew Knight around 1800 at Onibury, near Ludlow, one of the sites where he carried out his pioneering hand-pollination breeding of new apple varieties.
Payhemburynot recordedPayhembury, Devon; sharpNamed after and raised in the East Devon village of Payhembury, where it became a popular local dual-purpose apple, good both for cooking and for cider juice.
Peasgood's Nonsuchsown c. 1858Grantham, LincolnshireSown as a girl by Emma Manby in her garden at Grantham; the one surviving seedling travelled with her to Stamford when she married draper John Peasgood, and the resulting apple took her married name.
Perthyrepre-1910 (sold as pre-1920s)Monmouth, Monmouthshire; bittersweetA Monmouthshire farmhouse apple first recorded around the turn of the twentieth century, taking its name from Perthyre Farm near Monmouth; it later gave its name-place to the more famous Breakwell's Seedling, which George Breakwell raised at the same farm.
Pitmaston Pine Applec. 1785Great Witley, WorcestershireRaised, probably from a Golden Pippin seedling, by a Mr White who was steward to Lord Foley, whose seat was Witley Court; it was later introduced commercially in 1825 by the Williams nursery at Pitmaston, near Worcester, from which it takes its name.Named by Fruitfields
Reverend W. Wilksintroduced 1908Langley, Slough, BerkshireRaised by J. Allgrove at Langley Nursery near Slough, and named after the Reverend William Wilks, vicar of Shirley in Surrey and long-serving secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Ribston Pippin1708Little Ribston, near Knaresborough, YorkshireSir Henry Goodricke grew the tree from one of three apple pips sent to him from Normandy, planting it at Ribston Hall. The original tree lived until 1835, then re-shot from its own root and survived until 1928.
Rosemary Russetfirst described 1831Brentford, MiddlesexFirst described in 1831 by the Brentford nurseryman Ronalds, a member of the Nonpareil family of apples, though its exact raising is otherwise undocumented.
Sam Youngsent to London 1818Kilkenny, County KilkennySent from Kilkenny to the London Horticultural Society in 1818 by nurseryman John Robertson, and went on to be closely associated with counties Kilkenny, Offaly and Cavan.
Skyrme's Kernelbefore 1788-1810Brockhampton, HerefordshireBelieved to have been raised on the Skyrme family's estate at Brockhampton, near Ross-on-Wye, and recorded by Robert Hogg in the Herefordshire Pomona as grown by the Skyrmes before 1788.Named by Moons Cider
Stirling Castle1830sStirling, StirlingshireRaised near the town of Stirling by John Christie and praised by the Victorian pomologist Robert Hogg as an excellent early culinary apple.
Sturmer Pippinbefore 1831Sturmer, EssexNamed after the Essex village of Sturmer and believed to be a cross of Ribston Pippin and Nonpareil; Ezekiel Dillistone presented it to the Horticultural Society in 1827.
Tewkesbury Baronrecorded 1883Tewkesbury, GloucestershireThought to have originated at Tewkesbury and first recorded in 1883; it survives today in the National Fruit Collection and other Gloucestershire heritage orchards.
Twll Tin Gwydd19th-century variety; rediscovered in 1995near Llandeilo, CarmarthenshireA Dyfed cooking apple found during orchard surveys near Llandeilo in 1995, previously missing from the National Apple Register of the British Isles, and named, like several Welsh varieties, for the shape of its fruit rather than its flavour. Origin disputed.
Upton Pyneraised c. 1910; exhibited 1933Upton Pyne, DevonRaised by George Pyne of Denver Nurseries in nearby Topsham, and named after the village of Upton Pyne where his family originated; shown at the Royal Horticultural Society in 1933.
Warner's Kingknown since the late 1700sWeavering Street, Maidstone, KentTraced to a tree at Weavering Street near Maidstone, known locally in the 18th century as the King Apple, before grower James Warner sent it to nurseryman Thomas Rivers, who renamed and commercialised it.
White Melrosetradition holds c. 1600; first written record 1831Melrose, Scottish BordersTraditionally linked to the Cistercian monks of Melrose Abbey, who are said to have experimented with fruit varieties brought back from their travels, though the apple is not documented in writing until 1831. Local tradition.
Woolbrook Pippin1903Sidmouth (Woolbrook), DevonRaised in 1903 by Stevens & Son at their Woolbrook Nursery in Sidmouth, as a Cox's Orange Pippin seedling that ripens earlier than its parent; it won an RHS Award of Merit in 1929.
Worcester Pearmain1874Swanpool, Worcester, WorcestershireRaised by a Mr Hale of Swanpool near Worcester as a cross of Devonshire Quarrenden with an unknown parent, and given a First Class Certificate by the RHS the following year.Named by Fruitfields, Skittery Apple Juice and Cider
Wyken Pippinearly 1700sWyken, Coventry, WarwickshireTradition holds that Lord Craven had the pips of an apple eaten in Holland planted at Wyken, near Coventry, in the early 18th century, giving rise to this variety.
Yorkshire Greeningc. 1762Pontefract, YorkshireAn old Yorkshire cooking apple that arose around Pontefract and was listed in the Perfect's of Pontefract nursery catalogue of 1769; its alternative name reflects its traditional use alongside roast goose.