Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce

Some Cheshire Fruit

Dessert Apples
Elton Beauty raised in Ince orchards, Chester by NW Barritt, introduced 1952. Millicent Barnes raised around 1903 by NF Barnes, the Head Gardener for the Duke of Westminster at Eaton Hall, Chester.

Cooking Apples
Arthur W. Barnes raised by NF Barnes at Eaton Gardens, Chester, in 1902. Burr Knot named for the burrs at the base of branches, which can root (this kind of tree known as pitchers). Its history not clear but the variety was recorded in 1818 in England. Also known as Bide’s Walking Stick named after Mr Bide who cut a branch in around 1848 from a tree in Cheshire as a walking stick, which he then stuck in the ground in his garden in Hertfordshire where it rooted. Lord Clyde raised by nurseryman BW Witham of Reddish, and appeared in catalogue in 1866. Lord Derby grows well on wet, clay soils. Raised by Mr Witham, nurseryman in Stockport. First recorded in 1862. ‘Flesh cooks to an attractive deep claret colour, and is especially delicious sweetened with brown sugar.’ Minshull Crab / Lancashire Crab from Minshull village, the original tree was growing in 1777. Grown in Lancashire for cotton towns including Manchester.

Dual Purpose Apples
Eccleston Pippin raised, or found before 1883 by NF Barnes, the Head Gardener at Eaton Hall. Grange’s Pearmain raised before 1829 by James Grange a market gardener in Kingsland, Middlesex, then intrioduced by Dickson’s of Chester. Sure Crop from nurseryman Clibrans in Cheshire in 1905.

Other Apples
Bee Bench, Bostock Orange, Celia, Chester Pearmain, Chester Pippin, Gooseberry Pippin, Hazelby’s Seedling, Moston Seedling, Open Heart, Rakemaker, Rose of Sharon, Royal Seedling, Rymer, Shaw’s Pippin, Wareham Russet, Watlingford Pippin, Windsor Castle, Withington Welter.

Damson
Cheshire Prune.

This list was compiled using many sources including The New Book of Apples by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards (Ebury Press 2002).

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