Who planted the original pip that grew into the iconic Bramley apple tree in Southwell in 1809?

Mary Ann Brailsford

The origin story of the Bramley apple, recognized as the quintessential British cooking apple, traces back to a specific individual and location in Nottinghamshire. In 1809, a young girl named Mary Ann Brailsford was responsible for planting the pip that eventually matured into the original tree near Southwell. While she did not live to see the fruit become famous, the subsequent resident of the cottage, a butcher named Matthew Bramley, later stipulated that the tree should carry his name upon commercialization. The very first tree, referred to as the 'mother tree,' remains alive and continues to fruit at the Southwell cottage, which is currently maintained by Nottingham Trent University, cementing Mary Ann Brailsford's role as the accidental progenitor of this globally grown ingredient.