Some years ago a bird watcher staying at Cristin was using apples to attract birds. Following a conversation between the birdwatcher and another visitor, Mr Ian Sturrock, the exciting discovery was made that this was infact a rare apple variety.

 

Mr Sturrock, an expert on fruit trees, understood that the apples had come from the knobbly tree on the south facing side of Plas Bach. Although island residents confirmed that generations of islanders had enjoyed these apples, no one knew what kind of apples they were. It was quite possible that the refreshing pink fruits, of lemon aroma and flavour, were the only survivors of an orchard nurtured on site by monks over 1,000 years ago.

 

The apple was taken to the Brogdale Horticultural Trust by Mr Sturrock where it was examined by Dr Joan Morgan, an expert on British apples. She declared that this was the world's rarest apple. She described it as an apple streaked with pink over cream, ridged with high crown.

 

Mr Sturrock took cuttings from the tree the following spring to enable growing more of these unique trees.