Original Bramley Apple Tree's Fate Hangs in Balance as Property Goes on Sale
The survival of the original Bramley apple tree is now under serious threat after the Nottingham property where it stands has been listed on the open market. Nottingham Trent University (NTU), which has owned the Bramley Cottages in Church Street, Southwell, since 2018 and used them for student accommodation, has put the home up for sale with an asking price of £400,000.
A Historic Tree with Deep Roots
This iconic tree, more than 200 years old, was planted from seed by Mary Ann Brailsford in the early 1800s. Nearly five decades later, in a serendipitous discovery, 17-year-old Henry Merryweather encountered the apples, leading to the identification of the new Bramley variety that would become famous worldwide.
Over recent years, NTU has maintained the tree but now states it will seek a responsible custodian to care for the ailing plant, which suffers from honey fungus. However, with the house entering the open property market and the tree situated in a private garden, securing such care appears complicated and uncertain.
Lack of Legal Protection Raises Alarms
Critically, there is no tree protection order in place, despite previous attempts to establish one. This means new owners could legally decide to chop down the tree without facing any consequences, despite its immense historical and cultural significance.
Celia Stevens, 85, granddaughter of Henry Merryweather, expressed deep concern: They fail to recognise what it has done over the years—it has helped feed troops, bring tourists over, and people just think it's a cooking apple. She emphasized, We are very fortunate to have anything of this nature. My great-grandfather found this apple, bred it, and it became one of the most celebrated culinary apples ever produced.
Ms. Stevens highlighted the tree's dual value: It has a value commercially, but it has a value as an ancient tree that brings value to Nottinghamshire, and it just needs the respect of people who understand and love such things to give it as long a life as it can have. She has issued a call to action, hoping to raise £400,000 to preserve the tree, noting, It's done a great deal for Southwell, it's very special, and it still is to this day.
Campaigners Mobilise to Save a National Treasure
Since being designated as one of Britain's most treasured trees, the Bramley has been closely monitored by campaigners, especially given its location on private property. These activists, along with Henry Merryweather's family, have taken grafts, raised funds for maintenance, and pressured NTU to improve care.
Ms. Stevens recounted her efforts: I tried for years to get a tree protection order on it, and the owners throughout the years stopped me from doing it. She added, It's remarkable for a tree to be over 200 years old, okay, it's in its failing years, but that isn't the point, it still grows apples, it grew them last year, and I have one in my fridge.
Despite being listed among the 50 Great British Trees by the Tree Council in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee and again in 2022 for the Diamond Jubilee, the tree lacks legal safeguards. This leaves it vulnerable to potential destruction by any new property owner.
Artists and Advocates Voice Urgent Concerns
Dan Llywelyn Hall, an artist campaigning for the tree, raised pressing questions: In that interim period, while the property is on the market, who has the duty of care for it? It is a tree of national importance; there should be a mechanism to protect it. He criticized NTU's stewardship: We are hoping that the current custodians of it make sure it's safeguarded... Frankly, they haven't done a great job.
Hall warned of a tragic outcome if an uninterested buyer acquires the property and stressed the need for dialogue: We are hoping that as soon as the interested party comes in, we can get into a dialogue about how we can help and intervene and give it a better ending to its life and really raise its profile in Southwell. He concluded, If one thing could happen at the end of its life it's that the Bramley in some ways can give that precedent of how trees of such national importance are looked after.
University Responds to Growing Criticism
In response to the outcry, an NTU spokesperson stated: NTU is proud to have been the latest custodian of the Bramley apple tree and to have played a part in helping to safeguard and celebrate its legacy. The university explained the sale, citing that the cottages are not as suitable as other NTU-owned accommodation and that there is adequate student housing on the Brackenhurst Campus.
The spokesperson added, The university aims to ensure that the tree will remain in the care of a responsible custodian and to also support them with guidance on how to care for the tree moving forward. NTU defended its maintenance efforts, noting a visit from an independent tree specialist last year who paid tribute to the work we have done to both maintain and celebrate it.
As the property sale proceeds, the fate of this historic Bramley apple tree remains precarious, with campaigners and descendants urging immediate action to secure its preservation for future generations.
