Golden Noble
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Golden Noble
Origin / History
Origin unknown. Golden Noble was first brought into notice by Sir Thomas Harr, of Stow Hall, Norfolk. His gardener procured it from a tree, supposed to be the original, in an old orchard at Downham, and communicated it to the Horticultural Society of London in 1820. The Herefordshire Pomona concludes that it is "probably therefore an old variety," and Downing calls it an old English variety. Bunyard (1920) reports that, according to Boisbunel, Golden Noble is the Drap d'Or of France (not the Drap d'Or of Hogg), citing the Revue Horticole of 1883.
The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "a very attractive and valuable apple" and says it "should be grown much more generally than it is, as well for its own great merits as for its marketable qualities." The George Bunyard catalog of 1901 calls it "a sterling variety for garden culture," and the 1914 catalog calls it "an excellent garden Apple." Bunyard (1920) ranks it "one of the very best cooking apples for colour and flavour."
Tree
Vigorous, growing freely. Fertile, bearing abundantly, and bearing "freely on the points of shoots" (George Bunyard catalog, 1901). Forms a medium-sized pyramid and a good standard (Veitch). The George Bunyard catalog of 1914 lists it on paradise only. Leaf rather large, little upfolded, regularly crenate, pea green (Bunyard, 1920).
Fruit
Size: Large, "pretty large" in Lindley's description as given by Downing. Bunyard (1920) alone calls it medium, and gives 2½ by 2¼.
Form: Round to roundish conical, regular and even. Slightly narrowing toward the eye (Herefordshire Pomona). Slightly flattened (Bunyard, 1920).
Stem: Short to very short. A fleshy growth on one side of the stalk connects it with the fruit (Herefordshire Pomona).
Cavity: Rather wide, slightly russeted (Bunyard, 1920).
Calyx: Eye small. Bunyard (1920) calls it closed, and says Golden Noble can be distinguished from Queen Caroline by its closed eye.
Basin: Surrounded with plaits. The Herefordshire Pomona calls the basin round and deep; Bunyard (1920) calls it shallow.
Skin: Smooth, clear bright yellow to rich golden, without any blush of red. Here and there it carries small patches of thin russet, which Bunyard (1920) calls slight. Handsome; Veitch calls it "exceedingly handsome in form and colour."
Dots: A few small reddish spots.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow, tender, with a pleasant, brisk acid juice. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "perfectly melting, with a rich acidity." Downing calls it pleasant and subacid.
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
The recorded season runs from the end of September into January. Accounts begin it between the end of September and November and close it in December. The Herefordshire Pomona ends it at the middle of December, and Bunyard (1920) alone carries it to January.
Uses
Culinary. Downing calls it "valuable for cooking," and the 1914 catalog says it "cooks well." It bakes to a clear amber color (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard (1920) says it cooks frothily and of a golden color. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "the best in its season." The George Bunyard catalog of 1901 calls it "valuable for market."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1897–1917) from England, Illinois
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (6)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- GOLDEN NOBLE. [Syn: Edelapfel gelber] The origin of this apple is not known. It was first brought into notice by Sir Thomas Harr, of Stow Hall, Norfolk. His gardener procured it from a tree, supposed to be the original, in an old orchard at Downham, and communicated it to the Horticultural Society of London in 1820. It is probably therefore an old variety. Description.—Fruit: handsome, large, round, and slightly narrowing towards the eye. Skin: smooth, clear bright yellow, without any blush of red, but a few small reddish spots, and here and there a small patch of thin russet. Eye: small, set in a round and deep basin, surrounded with plaits. Stalk: short, with a fleshy growth on one side of it, which connects it with the fruit. Flesh: yellow, tender, with a pleasant acid juice, perfectly melting, with a rich acidity, and baking of a clear amber colour. A very attractive and valuable apple, in season from the end of September to the middle of December, and the best in its season. The tree grows freely and bears abundantly. It should be grown much more generally than it is, as well for its own great merits as for its marketable qualities.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Golden Noble. An old English variety, valuable for cooking. Lindley describes it as pretty large, roundish conical, bright yellow with a few small reddish spots and patches of russet. Flesh yellow, tender, pleasant, subacid. November, December.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)GOLDEN NOBLE. Her. Pom., 23. G., Gelber Edel Apfel. (Lord Clyde, Lord Stanwick, John Peel, Rutlandshire Foundling.) Culinary, September to January, medium, 2½ by 2¼, round, slightly flattened, regular. Colour, clear yellow, with slight russet. Flesh, tender, yellow, acid. Eye, small, closed, in a shallow plaited basin. Stem, very short in a rather wide slightly russet cavity. Growth, vigorous; fertile. Cooks frothily and of golden colour. Leaf, rather large, little upfolded, regularly crenate, pea green. Origin, uncertain: brought to notice in 1820. According to Boisbunel, this is the Drap d'Or of France (not of Hogg). See Revue Horticole, 1883. One of the very best cooking apples for colour and flavour. Can be distinguished from Queen Caroline by its closed eye.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)Large, handsome, of rich golden hue; valuable for market, and a sterling variety for garden culture, bearing freely on the points of shoots.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)large and exceedingly handsome in form and colour, flesh yellow, tender with a brisk acid juice, it forms a medium-sized pyramid and good standard
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Culinary; Oct.-Dec. Large, round and even, golden colour; cooks well; an excellent garden Apple, paradise only; origin uncertain, brought to notice in 1820.