Orchards and Fruit

History of the Aldwick Beauty The Aldwick Beauty was grown originally by Mrs DM Alford, Aldwick, Bognor Regis and assessed by the National Fruit Trials in 1969. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see an Aldwick Beauty apple tree (planted 2010) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer…

History of the Alfriston apple Raised in the late 1700s by Mr Shepherd of Uckfield and originally named Shepherd’s Pippin. It was renamed Alfristonin 1819 by Mr Booker who lived in that village. It received an RHS Award of Merit in 1920. Currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. Description of fruit…

History of the Ashdown Seedling apple Grown by John Clarke who founded the orchards of the Ashdown & General Land Company during the 1930s. His son Rory Clarke remembers how his father grew it from the pip of a bright red McIntosh apple that he had eaten. The original tree grew in the kitchen garden…

History of the Bossom apple The last known tree growing in the garden of Miss Scott of Graffham blew down in the gale of 1986. On hearing of the damage to the tree, the Rev. Donald Johnson and Lady Caroline Egremont took graft material from the fallen tree and distributed it to the National Fruit…

History of the Coronation apple The Coronation apple was raised by H C Princep at Buxted Park and introduced by nurseryman Pyne, Topsham, Devon. It was recorded in 1902 in the year of the coronation of Edward V11 and won an RHS Award of Merit in 1902. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton…

History of the Crawley Beauty apple The apple was discovered growing in a garden in Tilgate near Crawley and introduced into cultivation by local nurserymen J Cheal & Sons. It was awarded an RHS Award of Merit in 1912. There is some confusion about its origin, as it is identical to the French variety Nouvelle France (National…

History of the Crawley Reinette apple Introduced by J Cheal & Sons, Crawley. It was recorded as a variety by the RHS in 1902. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Crawley Reinette apple tree (planted 2010) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park ( map). Description…

History of the Dalice apple Raised 1933-37 by A.C. Nash, Scutes Farm, Hastings, East Sussex from the pip of a New Zealand Cox’s Orange Pippin. Description of fruit The Dalice apple has a rich, delicate, aromatic flavour which is reminiscent of but not as intense as Cox. The flavour can be less interesting and the…

History of the Doctor Hogg apple The Doctor Hogg apple was grown by Head Gardener Mr S. Ford of Leonardslee, near Horsham and thought to be a seedling from the variety Calville Blanc. It was introduced about 1880 by W. Paul & Son, Herts and awarded an RHS First Class Certificate in 1878. It is currently…

  History of the Duck’s Bill apple The Duck’s Bill was introduced by Fred Streeter, Head Gardner at Petworth House in 1937. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Duck’s Bill apple tree (planted 2009) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park ( map). Description of fruit…

History of the Eastbourne Pippin apple The Eastbourne Pippin was grown by E.A. Lindley from Eastbourne 1930 and believed to have been grown from the pip of a Newton Pippin. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see an Eastbourne Pippin apple tree (planted 2011) in Home…

History of the Edmund Jupp apple The Edmund Jupp apple was grown in the Horsham area and first recorded as a variety in 1862. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see an Edmund Jupp apple tree (planted 2011) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park ( map). Description…

History of the Egremont Russet apple As the name suggests, Egremont Russet probably arose on the estate of Lord Egremont, Petworth. As Joan Morgan writes, “The gardens were famed for their fruit, particularly in the 1800s, when a number of new varieties were raised, but none bearing this name. Nevertheless, head gardener Fred Streeter always…

History of the First and Last apple The First and Last apple was first described in 1860. Hogg (1851) wrote that it is “much grown in the northern part of the county about Horsham and sent to Brighton market.” It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can…

History of the Forge apple The apple is also known as Sussex Forge and arose at either Forge Farm or near old iron forges around East Grinstead. Robert Hogg described it in 1851, but by then it was well known. The variety is known as the “Cottagers Apple” and was widely grown in north Sussex and Surrey in…

History of the Golden Bounty apple The Golden Bounty apple was raised in about 1940 by A.C. Nash of Scutes Farm, Hastings. The parents of this variety are Cox’s Orange Pippin crossed with probably Early Victoria. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Golden…

History of the Golden Pippin apple The origin of the apple is uncertain, as historically there were many similar apples with different names. It is claimed that it originally grew at Parham Park near Arundel. Golden Pippin was first recorded as a variety in 1629 by Parkinson, though it was well known by late 1600s. The Golden…

History of the Green Custard apple The Green Custard apple variety was originally grown by the nurseryman J. Cheal & Sons of Crawley and received in 1941. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. Description of fruit The Green Custard is a large apple that is tall to…

History of the Hawkridge apple Robert Hogg wrote that Hawkridge “is a very popular apple in East Sussex especially around Hailsham, Heathfield and those parts where it is met with in almost every orchard and garden” (Hogg 1851). The origin is Hawkridge Farm, Hellingly, near Hailsham. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture…

History of the Keed’s Cottage apple Keed’s Cottage comes from a very old tree growing at Jessamine Cottage, Pulborough, and was recognised as a variety in 1947. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. Description of fruit Keed’s Cottage is a large apple, flat-rectangular to conic in shape…

 apple History of the Knobby Russet apple Knobby Russet was first shown to the London Horticultural Society by Haslar Capron who came from Midhurst in 1820. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Knobby Russet apple tree (planted 2010) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park…

History of the Lady Hopetown apple The Lady Hopetown dates from the National Fruit trials of 1950 from W Barnes of Bexhill-on-Sea. Description of fruit The fruit is greenish yellow with a crisp sharp fruity flavour. Season of use The fruit can be picked in mid October and stored until March and on to May…

History of the Mannington’s Pearmain apple The Mannington’s Pearmain apple was first grown about 1770 from cider pomace thrown under a hedge in the garden of Uckfield blacksmith, Mr Turley. His grandson, John Mannington, local butcher and keen fruitman, sent it to the London Horticultural Society in 1847. Hogg stated, “Mr Mannington was a man…

History of the Mareda apple The Mareda apple was first grown in 1926 by A.C. Nash of Scutes Farm near Hastings, from a pip of the American apple Winesap. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Mareda apple tree (planted 2010) in Home Farm Orchard,…

History of Mike Rowney The Mike Rowney apple variety stems from a tree grown from a seedling in the garden of Mike and Anne Rowney, Litlington during the 1980s. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s  -:- National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. Description of fruit The Mike Rowney apple is medium sized…

History of Nanny The Nanny apple variety was first grown in either West Sussex or Surrey and recorded as a variety in 1842. Hogg (1851) declared it to be “a dessert apple of excellent quality and when in perfection a first rate fruit … This is met with about Havant and other districts of Sussex…

History of Petworth Non Pareil According to Reverend Donald Johnson, the variety has not been seen in the past 20 years. It was probably bred by the third Lord Egremont and his head gardener Mr Slade at Petworth House early in the 19th century. It was first recorded as a variety in 1816. Description of…

History of Rougemont The Rougemont apple variety was thought to have been raised by nurserymen J. Cheal of Crawley, Sussex. It was first recorded in 1888. Description of fruit The Rougemont is a dessert apple. The fruit is scarlet, flushed, tall and ribbed. The taste is rather sour, with soft, green-tinged cream flesh. Season of…

History of Saltcote Pippin The Saltcote Pippin is a variety cultivated by James Hoad of Rye from either a Ribston Pippin or Radford Beauty seedling. First recorded as a variety in 1918, it was awarded an RHS Award of Merit 1928. Craig Sams, who grows the variety, writes: “The Rother at Rye is tidal and used…

History of Stanmer Pippin The tree was grown from the pip of a supermarket apple by Anne Markwick at Stanmer Park during the 1960s and raised by Plumpton College Horticultural Training Centre, Stanmer Park, Brighton & Hove. Description of fruit The fruit is medium in size with a round conical shape. The skin is flushed…

History of Sussex Mother The variety was grown around Heathfield in the nineteenth century and described in 1884 by Robert Hogg. It is still found in Sussex gardens. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s  -:- National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Sussex Mother apple tree (planted 2010) in Home…

History of Tinsley Quince The Tinsley Quince apple variety was received by the National Fruit Trials in 1942 from R. Fairman, Crawley. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s  -:- National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Tinsley Quince apple tree (planted 2009) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park ( map). Description…

History of Wadhurst Pippin Both Hogg and Bunyard write that the variety was grown early in the nineteenth century at Wadhurst. It is currently cultivated as part of Brighton Permaculture Trust’s  -:- National Collection in Stanmer Park, Brighton. You can see a Wadhurst Pippin apple tree (planted 2010) in Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park ( map). Description of…