Barnack Beauty

Origin and History

Barnack Beauty originated in the village of Barnack, four miles outside Stamford. The tree is reputed to have grown from a pip planted by a Mrs Betty Geeson in the 1840s. She didn’t live to see it fruit and after Mrs Geeson’s death it was raised by her near neighbour, a Mr Charles. It was introduced commercially by W & J Brown of Stamford around 1870 and received two awards from the Royal Horticultural Society: an Award of Merit in 1899, and a First Class Certificate in 1909.

The original tree is still growing in the garden of Church Cottage, Barnack, and the variety can be found in several old Stamford gardens.

Fruit

The fruits are medium-sized with an unusual, oval shape. The skin is yellow and covered with a bright vermilion flush, crimson stripes and some patches of russeting. The flesh is yellow and crunchy with a sharp, refreshing tang.

Barnack Beauty blossom by Alan Buckingham

Picking, Storing and Using

Barnack Beauty is dual-purpose: useful both as a cooker and as a juicy eating apple. It slowly softens during cooking to reveal a rich, intense flavour. Barnack Beauty is a good keeper and if picked in October will store through to March.

Growth, Flowering and Pollination

The tree is spreading and ornamental with attractive blossom and colourful fruit, borne at the tip. It is a heavy cropper but has a tendency to produce small apples. Barnack Beauty does unusually well on chalky soils.

It is self-sterile and needs a pollinator like Allington Pippin, Annie Elizabeth or Dumelow's Seedling.