CRUNCH TIME: How an abandoned allotment could reignite Britain's ancient love for eccentric apples

Do you fancy a Peasgood Nonsuch, a Catshead or a Decio? The joys of our old English apples are many but one, surely, is their delightfully eccentric names In the past half century, around two-thirds of British orchards have disappeared but a discovery last year, which has recently come to light, has sparked excitement among apple enthusiasts. All the apple varieties we have are descended from wild crab apples; small, sour fruits from the Malus pumila tree that originated in Northern Europe. Named after hamlets, dukes, vicars and doctors, even anniversaries, Britain's heritage apples tell us much about ancient times in the countryside: where or who was Hormead, Tydeman, Ellisons, the Reverend W Wilkes, the Duchess of Oldenburg or Arthur Turner? This ode to the wonders of the rarer apple may sound like snobbery from an arch food critic but apples are a popular, healthy food and if the majority of shoppers like their apples syrupy sweet, then one type is better than none.