• Heritage Tree

• Trees of National Special Interest (TNSI)

Just over the fence from Castle Road at Hornby Castle in North Yorkshire, this ancient apple tree was first recorded by Den Gregson in 2019; it is the largest apple currently known in Britain, but only two fragments of its trunk remain and it must once have been even bigger. Unlike the apple trees that can be found in ancient woods and hedges, this is not a true Wild Crab (Malus sylvestris) but seems to descend at least in part from the dessert apples (M. domestica) which have been grown in Britain since Roman times.

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Just over the fence from Castle Road at Hornby Castle in North Yorkshire, this ancient apple tree was first recorded by Den Gregson in 2019; it is the largest apple currently known in Britain, but only two fragments of its trunk remain and it must once have been even bigger. Unlike the apple trees that can be found in ancient woods and hedges, this is not a true Wild Crab (Malus sylvestris) but seems to descend at least in part from the dessert apples (M. domestica) which have been grown in Britain since Roman times.

About the tree

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Species:

Apple

Form:

Maiden

Standing or fallen:

Standing

Living status:

Alive

Girth:

3.80m at a height of 1.50m

Veteran status:

Ancient tree

Location of tree

County:

North Yorkshire

Country:

England

Grid reference:

SE2276493889

Public accessibility:

Private - visible from public access (permission not required to view)

Surroundings:

Deer park