St. Peters Church in the
Parish Of Holywell
August 2015
THE PLANTS HAVE ARRIVED AND LOOKING
GOOD.
BARDSEY APPLE
CARIAD CHERRY
ANGLESEY PIGS SNOUT
APPLE
ABERGWYNGREGYN
DAMSON
SNOWDON QUEEN PEAR
GLYNLLIFON GRAPE
PENRHYN CASTLE PEAR
COMMUNITY
ORCHARD UPDATE
WELSH COX APPLE
DENBIGH PLUM
PLANTING DAY AHEAD
SATURDAY
5TH SEPTEMBER
VOULENTEERS UPDATE
On Saturday 25th July our team of volunteers met two months on from our
“Natural Buzz” planting and renovation
day. A big thankyou goes out to all those
who helped on both occasions.
Young and old volunteers attacked the
weeds with enthusiasm and I think you
may all agree made a big difference to the
appearance of our surrounding garden
areas.
There is always room for more volunteers
to join our working party so keep your
eyes pealed for the next gathering for the
orchard planting day.
THE FIRST PHASE TREES
We are now in possession of the trees for
the first phase of our “Community Orchard Project” in this news letter are the
details of the heritage varieties that await
your spades.
I think you agree there are some exciting
varieties with interesting histories and
hopefully exciting futures.
The faculty for the project has now been
approved Watch this space.
And don’t miss Jean’s tasty lunch.
“Through Community The church becomes a visible 'echo' of the
self-giving relationships between Father, Son and Spirit “
AFAL YNYS ENLLI - BARDSEY APPLE
Wales displays two prominent peninsulas: Llyn in the North and Pembroke in the South.
Between them is the broad sweep of Cardigan Bay. Two miles out to sea off the tip of the
Llyn Peninsula lies Bardsey Island (Welsh name Ynys Enlli).
Bardsey Island has long been associated with religious activity. Pre-Roman Celts visited
the island to pray and often to die on this most western isle as they followed the setting
sun. During early Christian times Bardsey Island was a place of pilgrimage. There is a
pilgrim's route along the North Wales coast with a string of churches built along the way.
Indeed three trips to Bardsey was considered equal to a pilgrimage to Rome. Anybody
buried on Bardsey was guaranteed eternal salvation.
On the island itself are the remains of the thirteenth century abbey as well as a large grave
yard. Many people still use the island as a religious retreat.
The island is also of interest to ornithologists since it is a stopover for many migrating
birds. The first UK bird observatory was on Bardsey.
In 1998 my friend Andy Clarke was using a mist net to catch passing birds in order to ring
them. To bait his net he picked some windfall apples from under a gnarled old tree growing up the side of one of the island's houses called Plas Bach.
Andy, a keen organic gardener, noticed that the fruit and the tree were free of disease, a
very unusual occurrence in north Wales. He later brought several of the fruit to me for
identification. I didn't recognise the apples and subsequently sent them to the National
Fruit Collection at Brogdale in Kent where Dr Joan Morgan the country's leading fruit
historian declared that the fruit and the tree were unique. "The rarest tree in the world"
clamoured the media.
http://www.bardseyapple.co.uk/index.html
2
CARIAD CHERRY
History & Discovery
Bred by Ian Sturrock and Sons for Mr C.Golan of Plas Ty Coch, Caernafon.
The object was to produce a cherry that would do well in the Welsh Climate,
i.e. would be: Self-fertile, not prone to cracking in wet years, not suffer from
bacterial canker and ripen well in a relatively gloomy spring. Stella was
crossed with Napaleon Bigarreau, which was then crossed with a Devon Mazzard. The trees have been tested along the banks of the Menai Straights for
the past ten years.
Fruit
Medium sized, sweet, red skinned cherry. Pinked fleshed and very juicy.
Picking time (In North Wales) is in early August.
Pollination group: Self Fertile.
ANGLESEY PIGS SNOUT APPLE
History & Discovery
A large green cooking apple, long grown on Anglesey. First recorded in the 1600's. It is
named because of its unique shape. It cooks to a robustly flavoured, slightly perfumed
puree. Needing a little additional sugar. Wrapped in pastry and then baked, it was often
eaten as dumplings in the field by agricultural labourers. The fruit keeps for several
months in cool storage. The flavour mellows with time to an excellent brisk eating apple,
ideal for enlivening salads. Crops Heavily.
Fruit
Ideal for organic cultivation in Wales. Very disease resistant. Pick early October. Use
October to January
PLANTING DAY 5TH SEPTEMBER
A date for your diary.
Planting will take place on the 5th September, once again
refreshments will be provided as reward for your hard
work.
For those not involved in the planting there will be plenty
of weeds to attack as we prepare for autumn.
3
ABERGWYNGREGYN DAMSON
Abergwyngregyn Damson
History & Discovery
A single tree grows at the college farm site on the Menai Straits at
Abergwyngregyn near Llanfairfechan. It is perhaps over two hundred
years old, yet it is remarkably disease free. It produces an abundance
of good sized dark purple fruit of excellent flavour. The tree itself is
quite remarkable (see picture inset opposite); the trunk is hollow and
split open down one side (perhaps a lightning strike). Much of the
wood is woodwormed. The trunk also has many fist sized holes. On
top of the old trunk grows an "s" shaped younger section which regularly bears the blemish free fruit.
Fruit
Excellent eaten raw or made into a deep ruby coloured jam. Presumably self fertile. Pick and use September / October.
Would you like to sponsor a tree for phase two? If so why not brows Ian
Sturrock’s web site and select something special then let us know and we
will make it happen.
SNOWDON QUEEN PEAR
History & Discovery
In 1984 three very old diminuative pear trees were found growing on the side of Snowdon above Llanberis. All trees were
found in gardens that were originally part of the Vaynol Estate.
In 1998 a similar pear, trained as a fan, was founfd in the remains of the walled gardens of Sir Michael Duff Asherton
Smith, the owner of the Vaynol Estate. Perhaps in the past, Sir
Michaels gardeners lived in Llanberis and planted trees in their
gardens. This remarkable pear produces excellent fruit both at
sea level and at 600 feet. Most other pears coming from france,
southern England or the continent, do poorly in Wales as they
suffer from cracked fruit and disease in our wetter climate.
Fruit
The shiny yellow-green pears have a delightful pinkish flesh
with plenty of delicious sweet perfumed fruit. They have a distinctive rosewater aroma. The tree forms a pleasing pyramid
shape and crops well. Pick in late September. Use through October.
4
GLYNLLIFON GRAPE
History & Discovery
The head gardener at Glynllifon gave me a cutting of "Lord Newborough's favourite grape" ten years ago. The original vine is still
growing strongly and producing a prodigous amount of grapes in
the now derelict Victorian Greenhouse.
Fruit
A deep red grape which can be used from Sept until Nov. The
strength of flavour is absolutely exquisite. You will realise what
modern, supermarket grapes actually are in comparison: tasteless.
The bunches are quite open, which minimizes possible problems
with mildew. The large succulent leaves are good for Dolmades
You will realise what modern, supermarket grapes actually are in comparison:
tasteless.
PENRHYN CASTLE PEAR
History & Discovery
The origins of this pear are unknown. The two known trees are
both a hundred and twenty (approx.) years old espaliers by the
entrance to the old head gardener's lodge at Penrhyn Castle. Perhaps they were bred by him. Of all the hundreds of trained trees
that were originally in the gardens of Penrhyn, these two trees are
by far in the best with regards to both health and flavour.
Fruit
A mid-season pear. Pick in October and will keep for about a
month. The fruits are pale green, and then change to yellow with a
lovely golden-red flush. Large and very juicy.
And Afterward Why Not
Come Along To A Medieval
Themed Hog Roast
From 3pm onwards with live music and licenced bar. Children's entertainment and
it is undercover so no weather worries. Adults £7 Children £5 So why not come
along to Bryn Ffynnon Farm, Cefn Eurgain Lane, Rhosesmor.
Proceeds to St. Peters. See Bethan for details and tickets.
5
WELSH COX APPLE
History & Discovery
At about 6 feet tall, Anne Jones was an imposing figure as Bangor's first motorised
milk lady. In her garden at Goetre Bach, near Felinheli, Auntie Annie had a justifiably
famous apple tree. She called it the "Cox Cymraeg". A medium sized eating apple with
an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity with a Cox like flavour and aroma. In
the 1940's, the council straightened out the A487 and Aunty Annie's house was flattened. She then moved 100 yards to one of the last remaining houses along with her
apple tree and her husband Bob's budgies. The tree thrived in its new location until it
was buried under the new A55 fifty years later. Fortunately one daughter tree survived nearby, allowing the continuation of this fantastic fruit tree.
Fruit
Unlike the English Cox's Orange Pippin, it is easy to grow and disease resistant. Pick
in October. Use November to February.
DENBIGH PLUM
History & Discovery
First mentioned in 1785. Exactly where in Denbigh remains uncertain. It is the only
native Welsh plum to survive. It has large dark-red fruit that are strewn with golden
dots. The flesh is sweet and juicy with a good depth of flavour.
Fruit
Excellent when eaten warm and straight from the tree. It is also good for cooking and
jam making. The young trees now produced are the first ones available in over 100
years. Presumably self fertile. The handful of remaining trees are remarkably disease
free. Our re-introduction of the Denbigh Pum has now led to the formation of the
Denbigh Plum festival. Be sure to visit in October! Pick and use in mid-September
NEWS
Throughout this September there will be a month long series of organised community
litter picks and clean ups happening across Flintshire
All information and more is available at Ian Sturrock’s web site:
http://www.iansturrockandsons.co.uk/shop/denbighplum.html