Campaign Launched to Preserve UK's Original Bramley Apple Tree

A significant national effort is underway to protect the future of the original Bramley apple tree, a specimen estimated to be over two centuries old. The campaign's core objective is to purchase the cottage where this historically vital tree resides. This progenitor tree, planted between 1809 and 1815 in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, by Mary Ann Brailsford, is the source of countless Bramley saplings cultivated worldwide.

The Bramley Cottages, currently owned by Nottingham Trent University, have been put on the market. This has sparked concerns that the cherished site could be acquired by private owners, potentially limiting public access. The Bramley apple has become a beloved cooking variety in Britain, with approximately 83,000 tonnes harvested annually across the UK.

Artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, a co-founder of the preservation campaign, has voiced strong concerns, calling any loss of the tree a "great travesty and a national embarrassment." The initiative aims not only to secure the cottage but also to ensure continued public access, transforming the location into a tourist heritage site and an educational hub. This endeavor is also supported by musician and broadcaster Cerys Matthews.

The campaign is actively seeking to crowdfund £250,000 towards the cottage purchase, with an additional contribution expected from a local business. The story of the Bramley apple's origin traces back to Henry Merryweather, who discovered the "Bramley Seedling" cuttings nearly 50 years after the original tree was planted. Celia Stevens, Merryweather's great granddaughter, emphasizes the tree's "important part of fruit history" and its unique resilience despite its age and a honey fungus affliction.

Recognition for the original Bramley tree includes its citation as one of the 50 Great British Trees in 2002 and its dedication to Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.