Yarlington Mill Explained

Yarlington Mill is a traditional cider apple cultivar originating from the village of Yarlington, in the North Cadbury area of Somerset, England.

Origin

Yarlington Mill was said to have first been discovered as a 'wilding' in 1898 by a Mr. Bartlett, who found it growing out of a wall by the mill-race at Yarlington.^[1] It was subsequently propagated and popularised by the grower Harry Masters, who also raised the cultivar known as 'Harry Masters' Jersey'. ^[2] It was first widely planted in Somerset and subsequently in Devon and other West Country cider producing areas.^[3]

Characteristics

The tree is high yielding, and was included in many 20th century orchard plantings, though it has a strong tendency to biennial fruiting.^[1]

The fruit is generally small to medium, globose conical in shape, and red in colour.^[4] A typical Somerset 'Jersey' type apple, it is classed as a mild 'bittersweet' under the Long Ashton cider apple classification.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Copas, L. (2001) Somerset Pomona: The Cider Apples of Somerset, Dovecote, p.69
2. Copas (2001) p.18
3. Copas, L. (2001) Somerset Pomona: The Cider Apples of Somerset, Dovecote, p.69
4. Annual Report of the Long Ashton Research Station, 1974, p. 148
5. Web site: Item ~ Devon Apples ~ Informative Apple and Fruit Resource . devon-apples.co.uk . 2013 . 8 June 2017 . 22 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522042030/http://devon-apples.co.uk/directory/137/yarlington-mill/ . live .