The future of the original Bramley apple tree, responsible for one of the world’s most popular cooking apples, is now under threat as the site where it grows is put up for sale, campaigners have warned.
The tree is located in the back garden of a row of cottages in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, owned by Nottingham Trent University since 2018 and used as student accommodation.
The university said the site was for sale due to the “age and configuration” of the cottages, which were no longer suitable for accommodation.
The great-granddaughter of the man who first introduced the Bramley apple commercially, says she is “very concerned” for the future of the tree and that it needs to be protected.
“It’s a very famous tree. It’s a very well-loved tree and it means a lot,” Celia Steven, 85, said. “I find it very disturbing because unfortunately people cut down trees and think about it later.”
The tree, which is more than 220 years old, grew from a sapling planted by Mary Anne Brailsford between 1809 and 1815. Its apples were discovered nearly 50 years later by local gardener Henry Merriweather in the orchard of Matthew Bramley. Merryweather was given permission to take cuttings from Bramley’s seedlings as long as he sold apples bearing Bramley’s name.
Steven said her great-grandfather, Merryweather, “believed in that apple, he commercialized it, he marketed it, he promoted it … he called it the ‘King of Covent Garden'”. Since then, it has become one of Britain’s best-loved cooking apples.
Despite the tree’s historic nature, it has never been granted a tree preservation order, which would protect it under the law and prevent it from being cut down.
But this was recognized by the royal family. In 2002, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee named Bramley as one of 50 “Great British Trees”, and two decades later it was recognized as part of a selection of 70 ancient trees dedicated to the Queen for the Platinum Jubilee.
Steven said: “Our ancient trees are not protected as they should be. They are not respected as they should be. They are very special to this country and when we have them we need to look after them and protect them for the future.”
Don Llywelyn Hall, founder of the Mother Bramley Legacy Fund, said heritage trees like this should never be at risk. The 45-year-old artist, who is hoping to raise £400,000 with the Merriweather family to buy the site, said the tree had been “in a state of neglect” since the university bought the cottages.
However, even though Bramley was diagnosed with incurable honeydew fungus, it is still alive and producing apples, he said.
“It can’t be understated, it’s the most important, most famous apple tree in the world. It produced the million-in-one apple, which is the most famous in the culinary world. It’s extraordinary that we still have the original alive,” he said.
“It’s going to bring about a bigger national debate about why we’re so terrible in this country at looking after our heritage trees,” he said.
A spokesman for Nottingham Trent University said: “NTU is proud to be the latest custodian of the Bramley apple tree and to play a part in helping to protect and celebrate its heritage.
“When the university became a custodian, it was well known that the tree was long past its natural lifespan. We have used our academic expertise to manage the tree in the most careful and appropriate manner for a tree of this age and condition and are delighted to provide access to the public and annual events such as the Bramley Apple Festival and Heritage Open Days.
“Last year we were visited by an independent tree specialist who paid tribute to the work we had done to organize and celebrate it. We personally joined the cottages before they were listed for sale with a special connection to the people of Southwell and again, people supported the work we had undertaken.
“The university aims to ensure that the tree remains under the care of a responsible caretaker. We will also continue to provide expert guidance and support on how to care for the tree.”
