All About Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire currently has 18 known apple varieties and 2 plums. Its better known varieties are Isaac Newton’s Tree, Ellison’s Orange, Peasgood Nonsuch and Allington Pippin, all popular garden trees to this day. A further 40 varieties are considered lost.

Apples – dessert varieties

Braceborough Gold
Braceborough 2010
Pick late Sept. Use Sept-Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by Dr. James Williams from a pip of an unknown apple. Propagated and distributed to local villages by Dr. Williams. Medium to large in size, greenish-yellow skinned with broken orange stripes. Flesh sweet, and juicy.

Ellison’s Orange
Bracebridge 1904
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by the Rev. Charles Ellison at Bracebridge Manse, near Lincoln, and by Mr. Wipf, then gardener at nearby Hartsholme Hall. Introduced by Pennells of Lincoln in 1911. It is a cross between the varieties Calville Blanc x Cox’s Orange Pippin and has a distinctive aniseed-type flavour when fully ripe and the skin exudes a spicy aroma. Has susceptibility to canker but has very good resistance to scab and mildew. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different apple variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.

Herring’s Pippin   
Lincoln 1908
Pick early Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group D
Probably raised in Lincoln by Mr. Herring and first introduced by Pearson’s of Nottingham in 1917.  A scarlet flushed large apple that is easily bruised. The flesh is juicy and aromatically spicy. A hardy variety well suited to heavy soils. Has good resistance to scab.

Ingall’s Pippin
Grimoldby 1915
Pick late Sept. Use Sept – Nov
Pollination group E
Raised by William Ingall of Grimoldby, near Louth. Introduced in 1928. A large dull yellow skinned apple with a few broken stripes of red and an occasional red flush. Sometimes slightly russeted. Sweet tasting and moderately juicy flesh.

Ingall’s Red
Grimoldby 1930
Pick late Aug. Use Aug – Sept
Pollination group C
Raised by the nurseryman William Ingall of Grimoldby near Louth. Small, greenish yellow and almost totally covered with a red flush and chalky bloom. Conspicuous russet dots on skin. Flesh firm and sweet. Heavy cropping.

Apples – dual purpose varieties

Allington Pippin
Stamford 1884
Pick late Oct. Use Nov – Dec
Pollination group C
Raised by Thomas Laxton at Stamford and until 1894 it was originally called ‘South Lincoln Beauty’. Introduced under its new name in 1896. It is the result of crossing the varieties King of the Pippins and Cox’s Orange Pippin.  Greenish-yellow, dull skinned, with an orange-red flush and a few broken red stripes. Brisk to eat early in the season but becomes more aromatic. Not very acidic when cooked. Has good resistance to scab but can be susceptible to mildew.

Bolingbroke Beauty    
Old Bolingbroke c.1900
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Arose at Eden Farm, Old Bolingbroke near Spilsby, and was most probably a seedling tree originally. Trees were sold commercially in the 1980s when a nursery ran from the farm. A medium sized, greenish yellow skinned ‘codlin-type’ apple which is only mildly acidic. Cooks to a light puree.

Brown’s Seedling                               
Stamford 1874
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Jan
Pollination group E
Raised at Brown’s Nurseries at Stamford. Dull yellow skin with an orange flush. Variable in size. An excellent keeper and not very acidic when cooked.

Holland Pippin
Kirton pre1729
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Mar
Pollination group D
A long-keeping variety first recorded by its synonym ‘Kirton Pippin’ in 1729, so probably arose at Kirton, near Boston sometime before this date. A large apple with a yellowish-green skin and a dull red flush. Keeps shape when cooked and is lightly acidic.

Peasgood’s Nonsuch
Grantham 1853
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Dec
Pollination group C
Raised by Mrs. Peasgood of Grantham and introduced in the 1870s by Thomas Laxton of Stamford. Received an RHS First Class Certificate in 1872. Can be very large in size. Very rounded in shape and with very smooth greenish-yellow skin that can have a dull orange flush and a few reddish stripes. Has always been a popular gardeners’ choice and exhibition apple. Cooks to a soft slightly acidic puree. Has good canker resistance. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different apple variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.

Philadelphia                        
Alford c.1840
Pick mid Sept. Use Oct – Nov
Pollination group D
Arose at Alford near Mablethorpe. A medium sized, yellow apple with attractive russeting radiating out from the eye. Occasional pinkish blush. Cooks to a brisk puree. It is a triploid variety so requires another two different apple varieties nearby for successful pollination.

Apples – culinary varieties

Dewdney’s Seedling
Barrowby 1850
Pick early Sept. Use Sept – Nov
Pollination group D
Raised by Mr. Dewdney at Barrowby near Grantham and also known as Baron Wolseley. A large yellow apple, flushed red. Acidic when cooked.  It is a triploid variety so requires another two different apple varieties nearby for successful pollination.

Dr. Clifford                 
Grimoldby 1898
Pick late Aug. Use Aug – Oct
Pollination group B
Arose as a chance seedling in the orchard of William Ingall of Grimoldby, near Louth. Introduced 1911. A large yellowish green skinned long apple with an orange flush and red stripes. Skin can be greasy. Not particularly acidic but loses shape when cooked.

Grimoldby Golden                  
Grimoldby c.1900
Pick early/mid Sept. Use Sept-Oct
Pollination group B
Raised by William Ingall of Grimoldby, near Louth. Parentage unknown. A medium to large yellow skinned apple with a bright pink flush. Cooks to a sharp but pleasnt tasting puree.

Hunthouse Pippin
West Torrington pre 1883
Pick late Sept. Use Oct – Nov
Pollination group C
Arose at Rowson Bros. Nursery of West Torrington Gardens, near Wragby before 1883. A small to medium sized, smooth skinned, pale greenish yellow variety. Quite oblong and ribbed. Quite acidic.

Isaac Newton’s Tree
Woolsthorpe c.1850
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Jan
Pollination group F
Arose from the apple tree which originally grew in the Sir Isaac Newton’s home. Believed to be the variety Flower of Kent. A large and angular green apple with red flush and orange stripes. Cooks to a sweet light puree. It is a triploid variety so requires another two different apple varieties nearby for successful pollination.

Schoolmaster
Stamford c.1855
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Jan
Pollination group D
Raised from a pip – possibly from an un-named Canadian apple – in the garden of Old Stamford Grammar School.  Local nurseryman Thomas Laxton introduced it in 1880. Grown in the UK commercially for the canning industry. A medium sized green skinned variety with a brown flush. Cooks to a fruity white puree.

Sleeping Beauty
Boston area c.1850
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Mar
Pollination group C
Probably arose in the county as it was being grown for the Boston markets in the 1850s. An excellent keeping medium sized smooth-skinned yellowish green apple.  Cooks to an acidic puree but becomes more mellow the longer it is stored.

Uland                         
Grimoldby 1922
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Nov
Pollination group B
Raised by William Ingall of Grimoldby, near Louth. Named after a pit pony that helped save his life when he worked in the South Wales coalfields as a boy. A medium to large-sized greenish apple sometimes with a brownish flush. The skin is slightly greasy. Acidic when cooked but holds its shape.

Gages – dessert varieties

Ingall’s Grimoldby Greengage
Grimoldby c.1900
Pick and use August – early September
Pollination group C
Raised by William Ingall of Grimoldby, near Louth as a seedling of Green Gage. Very like Green Gage in general appearance but somewhat larger in size. Sweet and tender melting flesh.

Lindsey Gage
West Barkwith pre1936
Pick and use August – early September
Pollination group C
Raised by Mr. Cunnington of West Barkwith, near Wragby. It is probably a seedling of a Green Gage. It is similar in appearance but smaller in size and sweeter in flavour.