Styre

'Styre'
'Styre'
	Malus domestica
Origin	England, before 1600s.

The Styre or Stire, also known as the Forest Styre, was an old

extinct

, but may still survive in old orchards or gardens.

History

The Styre originated in the Forest of Dean, where it grew well on the local thin

Anglo-Saxon root.^[1] The Styre had a reputation for producing a valuable, exceptionally flavoursome and unusually strong cider. John Philips, in his 1708 poem Cyder, refers to it as "Stirom, firmest fruit", and describes it as making a long-lasting, smooth, yet deceptively strong drink.^[2]

The pioneer American

cross-pollinators, meaning that it fruited poorly.^[1] Older apple varieties may also suffer from a build-up of viruses in their tissues over time.^[4]

By the mid 19th century, the variety was already becoming uncommon, replaced by more modern cultivars. Writing in 1858, H. G. Nicholls commented "Cider obtained from the styre apple used to be a common beverage; but that fruit has long been extinct".

Halmore in the Vale of Berkeley, was not cut down until 1968.^[8]

Pomologists are currently searching for any surviving specimens of the Forest Styre.[8]

Characteristics

The Styre is, or was, characterised by small fruit with a pale yellow skin and a red blush on the fruit's sunward side; the fruit were borne on a very short stalk.^[9] It was probably a full 'bittersharp' type apple, high in tannin and acid. As well as producing good cider, the initially acidic flesh became sweet, honey-like and edible with keeping.^[7] The tree itself was very large and had a vigorous upright growth, though it tended to run to wood and did not always fruit well.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Martell, C. Native Apples of Gloucestershire Archived 2011-01-24 at the Wayback Machine, p.102
^ Philips, J. Cyder, ii.
^ Coxe, W. A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, M. Carey & Son, 1817, p.25
^ Martell, p.130
^ The Forest of Dean - A Historical and Descriptive Account, 1858, p.151
^ Cooke, C. W. R. A Book about cider and Perry, H. Cox, 1898, p.19
^ ^a ^b Martell, p.101
^ ^a ^b Gloucestershire Orchard Group Newsletter, 13 (Spring 2008), 24
^ Hogg, R. British Pomology, p.86

[martell-1] Martell, C. Native Apples of Gloucestershire Archived 2011-01-24 at the Wayback Machine, p.102

[philips-2] Philips, J. Cyder, ii.

[coxe25-3] Coxe, W. A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, M. Carey & Son, 1817, p.25

[martell130-4] Martell, p.130

[nicholls-5] The Forest of Dean - A Historical and Descriptive Account, 1858, p.151

[cooke-6] Cooke, C. W. R. A Book about cider and Perry, H. Cox, 1898, p.19

[martell101-7] Martell, p.101

[gog-8] Gloucestershire Orchard Group Newsletter, 13 (Spring 2008), 24

[hogg-9] Hogg, R. British Pomology, p.86

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