Apple – Duke of Devonshire
The Duke of Devonshire apple was raised in 1835 by Wilson, gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at Holker Hall, Cumbria.
Duke of Devonshire apple
Introduced around 1875, the fruits have a firm, fine texture with rather dry flesh and a slightly nutty flavour.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early to Mid May
Picking: Early October
Natural Storage: January - March
The Duke of Devonshire apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Young trees are available from Adam's Apples, in Devon.
Apple – Cockpit
Originating from Yorkshire, the Cockpit apple was first discovered in 1831.
Cockpit apple
Fruits have coarse flesh with a slight acid and almost astringent flavour.
A famous Yorkshire apple which grows well in Cumbria.
Uses: Culinary
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early to Mid May
Picking: Early October
Natural Storage: October - December
The Cockpit apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Apple – Carlisle Codlin
The Carlisle Codlin apple is thought to have originated in Carlisle in Cumbria and records show evidence of it's presence before 1830.
No image available
Fruits have a rather soft and slightly coarse textured flesh, juicy and mildly acidic. The skin is very smooth and shiny when ripe.
Cultivation of this apple is probably only of local heritage interest, it does not have a good flavour and its very upright habit, makes picking of the fruit difficult.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early May
Picking: Late September
Natural Storage: October - December
The Carlisle Codlin apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Apple – Blenheim Orange
The triploid apple, Blenheim Orange was discvoered by Mr Kempster at Woodstock near Blenheim, England around 1740.
Blenheim Orange
Distribution of the apple did not start until 1818 and it received the Banksian Medal in 1822.
Fruits have a creamy white, somewhat course texture with rather dry flesh. It has a rich sweet, nutty, aromatic flavour.
Said to be good with cheese and for making Apple Charlotte.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early to Mid May
Picking: Late September
Natural Storage: October - December
The Blenheim Orange apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Young trees are available from Adam's Apples, in Devon.
Apple – Lancashire Pippin
The Lancashire Pippin was received by the national fruit trials in 1950, from Westmorland in Northern England.
Lancashire Pippin
Fruits have soft, slightly course flesh with a subacid flavour. Reportedly, this flavour becomes very bland when cooked.
Uses: Culinary
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Mid to late May
Picking: Mid September
Natural Storage: October
The Lancashire Pippin apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Apple – Ribston Pippin
The Ribston Pippin was raised at Ribston Hall in Yorkshire, England, from seed brought from Rouen in France. It is thought to have been planted around 1707, receiving it's first RHS Award of Merit in 1962.
Ribston Pippin
Fruits have a red/yellow flush and the flesh a fine, firm, crisp texture which is juicy with a rich, sweet aromatic flavour.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early to Mid May
Picking: Late September
Natural Storage: October - January
The Ribston Pippin apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Young trees available from Adams Apples
Apple – Egremont Russet
The Egremont Russet apple is a classic English Victorian variety, originating in England in 1872. Believed to have been raised by the Earl of Egremont in Petworth, Sussex, England.
Egremont Russet
This medium sized desert apple has a dull golden skin flecked with yellow and is the third most common apple in cultivation in England and Wales.
The flesh of the Egremont Russet is quite dry but juicy with a sharp-sweet, delicately "nutty" flavour. The flesh becomes drier with keeping.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Mid May
Picking: October
Natural Storage: October to December.
The Egremont Russet can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Young trees available from Adams Apples
Apple – Kidds Orange Red
Kidd's Orange Red is a classic English apple. Named after an amateur New Zealand apple breeder, J.H. Kidd, in the 1920s.
Kidd's Orange Red
The thin skin is yellow with a pink blush as it ripens, turning to an orange-red flush by the time it is ready for picking. Irregular light patches of russet can give it a marbled appearance.
Flesh is a cream colour, dense and firm with a sweet honey flavour.
A good garden apple but not a heavy cropper.
Uses: Desert
Parents: Cox's Orange Pippin x Red Delicious
Flowers: Mid May
Picking: October
Natural Storage: Nov-Jan
Apple – Norfolk Beefing
The Norfolk Beefing or Norfolk Biffin apple was raised in Norfolk, England and first recorded in 1807.
Norfolk Beefing (Biffin) apple
Fruits are very firm, round and slightly flat, about 5cms across and about 4 cms high with a course, juicy texture. The skin is yellow-green, but with brown-purple and dark red streaks.
Inside, the crisp flesh has a green tint, acidic with a hint of cinnamon.
The apples store well, getting sweeter with keeping, and are even sweet enough to use as desert apples by March the following year. A good cooking and drying apple.
With keeping, they turn a deeper brown or maroon colour, with harder, more solid flesh.
These apples were popular with Norwich bakers and were sent to London fruiterers as a delicacy. They were also used for cider making
It is best cooked whole in a very slow (bread) oven for over 4 - 5 hours.
Uses: Culinary
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Mid May
Picking: Mid October
Natural Storage: December - April
Where to find the Norfolk Beefing apple: Acorn Bank, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
