The Mother Bramley tree has stood for over two hundred years. Now, it is at the centre of an increasingly heated row about the future of it, and the garden it sits in. Grace Fynn finds out how the historic tree has become a victim of petty bureaucracy.
Over two hundred years ago Mary Ann Brailsford planted the very first Bramley apple seed, but it was not until 50 years later when Henry Merryweather discovered it that the fruit began its journey to becoming one of Britian’s most loved cooking apples.
They probably did not expect that two hundred years later, the tree would be embroiled in a bureaucratic row about its future.
Now, the garden of Bramley Cottages in Southwell, where the tree sits, has been sold by Nottingham Trent University to the owners of a neighbouring property, catapulting its future into question.
The cottages (think quintessential chocolate box adorableness), on Church Street, sit in the shadow of Southwell’s historic Minister Church, one of the town’s other much-loved icons.
The sale comes despite an ongoing fundraising campaign to buy the property, and the tree, and turn it into a visitor centre celebrating all things Bramley.
The Save the Mother Bramley Fund was aiming to raise the £400,000 needed to buy the cottage and had plans, which have now been abandoned, to establish a Community Interest Company to oversee the tree’s care and future.
Artist, Dan Llewynn Hall, co-founded the Fund and is passionate about the tree’s future having used in his work.
Dan said: “We are somewhat gutted.
“The Vice Chancellor of NTU announced to us all with another week to go [on the campaign] that he’d sold it to a neighbour.
“It’s a total lack of vision and frankly a lazy way of getting rid of the problem.”
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have owned the property since 2018 and have previously used it for student accommodation.
NTU scientists have played a key part in taking care of the Bramley, which has an incurable honey fungus that will eventually kill it.
The university is now selling up as they feel the home is no longer suitable for student housing.
A spokesperson for NTU said: “We are delighted that custodianship of the tree has passed to the owners of the neighbouring property.
“Historically the Bramley was in this garden, so it is great to be able to support the return to its original home.”
Campaigners feel the sale puts the tree at risk, especially as last month, Newark and Sherwood District Council said that putting it under a tree preservation order (TPO) was ‘unnecessary’.
A TPO would make it an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage, or wilfully destroy the tree without the local planning authority’s permission.
Failure to get this permission can lead to a hefty fine of up to £20,000, with more serious cases taken to the crown court where offenders could face an unlimited fine if convicted.
TPOs are typically placed on a tree or a wood that is considered to be a local amenity, something which is not defined in law.
But, under the Woodland Trust’s explanation of what ‘amenity’ means, they list rarity and cultural or historical value- both of which the Mother Bramley has in spades.
All Bramleys are descendants of cuttings from this historic specimen, meaning this one plant is responsible for every much-loved Bramley apple crumble.
In 2002, its importance was recognised by Royalty when it was selected by the Tree Council as one of the 50 ‘great British trees’ to mark the queen’s golden jubilee.
And the Royal love for this apple tree did not stop there, two decades later it was recognised by the Royal Family again as part of 70 ancient trees dedicated to the queen for the platinum jubilee.
The Mother Bramley is still growing fruit, and its apples are said to be one of Britain’s most popular cooking apples, with more than 300 Bramley growers in England and around 83,000 tonnes grown each year in the UK.
The tree itself is a sight to behold, sprawling over the garden and leaning slightly precariously to one side as its spindly branches lurch to the left.
The lean is so severe that the historic Bramley has to be propped up by posts, signalling not just its instability but its age and the incurable disease slowly killing it.
Local MP, Robert Jenrick, has previously called for the tree be put under a TPO, but only the local planning authority has the power to do this.
Speaking to CBJ News, Mr Jenrick said: “I remain deeply concerned about the future of this important tree.
“Nottingham Trent University’s latest actions have been taken without consultation with either the local campaign group or the wider community, and leaves questions hanging over its future.
“We are once again calling for this tree to receive the protection it deserves via a Tree Preservation Order.
“That is not an unreasonable request, it is simply common sense.”
The tree is already in a conservation area, which does offer some protection, namely that the council must be informed of any planned work six weeks before it is carried out.
This then gives the council the opportunity to put a TPO in place if they feel it is needed.
But being in a conservation area does not mean it is an offence to carry out work, unlike a TPO, which could leave the Mother Bramley tree at risk.
Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “A TPO adds no additional value to the protection already on it.
“An emergency TPO is therefore unnecessary.”
The University have been keen to re-iterate that the new owners of the Bramley are just as dedicated to the tree’s upkeep as them and that they will ensure it is looked after.
But campaigners feel that unless the tree is under public ownership, this British icon will never be protected enough.
