Original Bramley apple tree ‘at risk’ after site where it grows is put up for sale | Nottingham

The future of the original Bramley apple tree, responsible for one of the world’s most popular cooking apples, is at risk as the site where it grows is put up for sale, campaigners have warned.

The tree is located in the backyard of a series of cottages in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, which has been owned by Nottingham Trent University and used as student accommodation since 2018.

The university said the site was for sale because the cottages were no longer suitable for accommodation due to their “age and configuration”.

The great-grandson of the man who first introduced the Bramley apple commercially said he was “very concerned” about the future of the tree and that it should be protected.

“It’s a very famous tree. It’s a very popular tree and it means a lot,” said Celia Steven, 85. “Unfortunately people have a bit of a tendency to cut down trees and think about it later, so I find that very disturbing.”

The tree, which is more than 220 years old, was grown from a seed planted by Mary Anne Brailsford between 1809 and 1815. The tree’s apples were discovered nearly 50 years later by local gardener Henry Merryweather in an orchard owned by Matthew Bramley. Merryweather was given permission to take cuttings from Bramley seedlings as long as the apples he sold bore Bramley’s name.

Steven said his great-grandfather Merryweather “believed in that apple, commercialized it, marketed it, promoted it… he called it the ‘King of Covent Garden’.” It has since become one of Britain’s best-loved cooking apples.

Despite the tree’s historical nature, a conservation decision was never made that would legally protect it and prevent it from being cut down.

However, he was recognized by the royal family. At the queen’s golden jubilee in 2002, Bramley was named as one of 50 “great British trees”, and two decades later the tree was recognized as part of a selection of 70 ancient trees dedicated to the queen for her platinum jubilee.

Steven said: “Our ancient trees are not protected the way they should be. They are not respected the way they should be. They are very special to this country and when we have these things we need to look after them and protect them for the future.”

Dan Llywelyn Hall, founder of the Mother Bramley heritage fund, said such heritage trees should never be at risk in this way. The 45-year-old artist, who hopes to raise £400,000 with the Merryweather family to buy the site, said the tree had been “neglected” since the university bought the cottages.

Despite this and Bramley being diagnosed with an incurable form of honey fungus, he said he was still alive and producing apples.

“It cannot be exaggerated, it is the most important, most famous apple tree in the world. It is produced from a millionth of an apple, which is highly respected in the culinary world. It is quite extraordinary that the original is still alive,” he said.

“It raises a larger national debate about why we are so bad at looking after our heritage trees in this country,” he said.

A Nottingham Trent University spokesperson said: “NTU is proud to be the last custodian of the Bramley apple tree and to play a role in helping to preserve and celebrate its heritage.

“When the University became conservator, the tree was known to be long past its natural lifespan. We have worked hard to preserve a tree of this age and condition in the most careful and appropriate manner, using our academic expertise, and have been delighted to provide access for the public and for annual events such as the Bramley apple festival and Heritage Open Days. We believe that without the dedication and hard work of our colleagues, the tree would have deteriorated further.

“Last year we were visited by an independent arborist who paid tribute to the work we have done to both sustain and celebrate. We also reached out individually to people in Southwell who have a special connection to the tree before the cottages were put up for sale and again people expressed their support for the work we were undertaking.

“The University aims to ensure that the tree remains in the care of a responsible guardian. We will also continue to provide them with expert guidance and support on how to care for the tree.”