Apple Day
Laureate Poem

by James Crowden, 1999

21st October 1999 - the Tenth on Record

A list of places, more or less, events and entertainment,
celebrations of orchards and apple trees, odd varieties
of juicey stories, cake, jelly, bread and cheese.
cider competitions, tart and teas.
Veneration of the Apple God.

So to start in the north and working down:

In Cumbria, at Acorn Bank, they dance the apple from the walled garden,
Pipped to the post, The Lemon Square or across the Pennines at Rothbury,
Orchard House, Cragside, National Trust, Northumberland.

At Walbottle Community Orchard, Tyne and Wear, apple bobbing,
Longest peel in Geordieland, treasure hunt and chocolate apples,
At the Riverside Country Park, Newburn. Hornsea Herring at Hull.

Then in Yorkshire, at Nunnington Hall, old Ryedale varieties, and recipes
At Benningbrough to delight, at Harrogate, Botanical Gardens beckon,
Ampleforth and Hawes Apple Antics. Tree stories at the Dales Museum.

In Derbyshire, at Swadlincote Town Hall, Apple Games and Customs
Anything to declare? at Polegate, Milly the Maggot, Chesterfield
Tapton Lock, Calke Abbey and Scarthin Books, a pressing engagement.

And then the next bit, around the middle,
the core of England If you like:

In Leicester, out of the Ark, apples identified two by two, and tea rooms
At Donnington-le-Heath Manor House, and then at Shakerstone, replanted
The long awaited Return of the Shakerstone apple, Dumelow Seedling.

Next take Hereford, Home of Bulmers and the Cider Museum, Redstreak
Morris dancing on tap, followed by The Big Apple, Much Marcle,
The Apple Fair, Croft Castle, Leominster, Agenda 21 in Hightown.

In Shropshire Attingham Park and traditional skills in Lingen churchyard,
Ryton Organic, @ Coventry dot Shakespeare dot Countryside Museum
Dot pip dot peel dot Ilmington village Warwickshire Apple Map.

Next is Oxfordshire, Thamed and marketed, spit roast, dripping with apples,
Or Wolvercote, not far from town, and Waterperry, or Sulgrave Manor
Near Banbury, cookery with Sophie Grigson, over 200 varieties, identified,

Last year they found a Tun apple, next to Lord Derby, and a little yellow
Jenneting, while in Abingdon at the Brownies tasting, Egremont Russet
Won hands down and Blenheim Orange tied with Orleans Reinette.

And then in the east of the country on the right hand side

In Lincolnshire, the Life Museum in Lincoln and at Woolsthorpe Manor,
Sir Isaac Newton himself, demonstrating the gravity of the situation
With juggling and jollification at Waddingham Brandy Wharf Cider Centre.

Cambridge, learning by degrees in the Botanical Gardens, Bateman Street,
Or else there's Anglesey Abbey, Lode's of fun and Bressingham, Elton Hall.
In King's Lynn, Norfolk, Quintessentially Quince an evening dining out,

In Essex, Crapes Fruit Farm, near Colchester, again 200 varieties,
Further south, across the Thames, in Kent, Brogdale Horticultural
William Tell performing in Cobtree, Maidstone, Crossbow, Strongbow.

As well as Perry Court Farm, Ashford, Eynsford Village Hall and
No Man's Community Orchard, Chartham Hatch inter parish tug-of-war.
Or Pippins Farm, Pembury and High Elms Nature Centre, Farnborough.

Then there's Wisley, RHS, experts in all fields, Geography and Chronology
Guided walks, through the ages, top and bottom fruit, pruned to perfection.
Or else in Richmond, 'Apple Carte' on the menu, 11 Hill Rise Chez Lindsay.

Or if perchance you are in the smoke, Borough Market Southwark,
Food a plenty, players a plenty, storytelling The Lion's Part me thinks
Or else the Pride of Lee, Three Mills at Bromley-by-Bow E3 a boat trip

In Hertfordshire, Tewin Orchard, Welwyn and the Chapel, Shenley Park,
The Church House, Sawbridgeworth and Royston WI.
Clog dancing in St Albans, Pick Yer Own at Iver Heath

And now the turn of the South and West

The apple stored, laid in pies, dried, bottled, squeezed and pressed,
The juice unshackled, runs for home, acres of barrels, the farms awash.
With Harry Masters, Kingston Black, Dabinett, and Stoke Red.

Or if in Somerset try Charlton Orchards, Creech St Michael
Barrington Court and Montacute House, Glastonbury Rural Life
Muchelney Abbey readings and music, book launch as well

The home of Somerset cider brandy, aperitif and Burrow Hill,
Another story maturing nicely Yarlington Mill and Porter's Perfection.
Farmer's market Bristol, North Perrott and Wrington.

In Dorset at Kingcombe, Toller Porcorum, they quiz the Folklore
There's Elwell Fruit, Bridport, and Kingston Maurward, Dorchester
Where you can ask the difference between Queen Anne and Sheep's Nose,

Summer Stibber Sops in Wine, Lord Suffolk and Greasy Pippin,
In Devon it's Killerton House and Rosemoor Garden, Great Torrington
Knightshayes near Tiverton and Eggesford near Chulmleigh

In Cornwall, Cothele, most lovely of houses, wind chimes in the orchard,
And in Probus Gardens, Truro, a rich display of old varieties
Cornish Gilliflower, Poorman's Profit, Squires Codlin, Gennet Moyle,

And if perchance a Celtic flavour is what you're after

Try Erddig, nr Wrexham, Clwyd, or Llancaich Fawr, Glamorgan
Or the Town Council Chamber, Abergavenny 'Food from the Welsh Marches'
The Ynys Hywell Centre, Cwmfelinfach, or if in, Ireland

Try Conservation at Rossinver, Co Leitrim or Ballance House, Glenavy,
Or Palace Stables Armagh, Ardress House, Annaghmore
In Scotland, Kellie Castle, Pittenweem and Priorwood Gardens, Melrose.

And there you have it, the choice is yours.

So find a place on Apple Day
wherever you maybe and see what you can do
To help the orchards stay alive
Apples have a right to thrive

 The Apple Day poem may be reproduced in full or in part with the following credit line:
 © James Crowden for Common Ground 1999

Read more James Crowden poems:
"The Apple", "Springhead at Fontmell Magna", "Downstream Effects - The River Stour"
Visit James' web-site