An exclusive opportunity.

In early September 2000 a birdwatcher staying at Cristin was using apples to lure birds. A chance conversation between the birdwatcher and another visitor to the island Mr Ian Sturrock led to a most exciting discovery.

Mr Sturrock, an expert on trees who rejuvenates fruit trees for a living was told that the apples had been collected from a tree on the island. On investigating this further Mr Sturrock discovered that the apple was growing on a gnarled and twisted tree on the south facing gable end of Plas Bach and had apparently survived (if not quite thrived) there for many a long year. Although his enquiries amongst the island residents suggested that these apples had been enjoyed by generations of islanders no one knew what kind of apples they were save that the pink, lemon – scented fruit with its juicy and refreshing taste were possibly the only survivors from an orchard tended on the site by monks over a 1,000 years ago.

Mr Sturrock was puzzled by the apple and realised that it was unusual.

“I didn’t recognise it, so I took it to the experts on British apple varieties, which is Brogdale Horticultural Trust in Kent”
said Mr Sturrock.

There the apples were examined by Dr Joan Morgan, one of Britain’s leading apple experts, who thought she had tasted every one of several thousand varieties grown in Britain – until then.

“We could not put a name to it, but who would wish it to be anything other than the Bardsey apple?” she said

Dr Morgan declared it the world’s rarest apple, describing the apple as boldly striped in pink over cream, ribbed and crowned.

The Trust decided to ask Mr Sturrock to take cuttings from the tree the following spring so that we could grow more of this unique tree.