Stirling Castle

Origin/History

Stirling Castle originated in Stirling, Scotland, and was introduced to the trade by Messrs. Wm. Drummond & Sons, nurserymen and seedsmen of that town. The precise history of its first discovery is disputed. According to Messrs. Drummond themselves, the apple was first brought to their notice approximately forty years before 1885 by a Mr. Christie, an officer of Inland Revenue in Stirling, widely known under the soubriquet of "Pookum Christie," who was a great amateur horticulturist. An "Auld Citizen" of Stirling, described as particularly well acquainted with the archives of the "Sons of the Rock," disputes this account, asserting that the true introducer was a man known some sixty years before 1885 as "Auld Johnnie Christie," a nursery gardener working on a very humble scale at Causewayhead, on the road to the Bridge of Allan. Bunyard (1920) places the origin at approximately 1830. Whatever its precise circumstances, the wide dispersion of Stirling Castle is attributed to the appreciation of its merits by Messrs. Drummond & Son (Herefordshire Pomona, 1885). The variety is known in Germany as Schloss Stirling (Bunyard).

Rivers described Stirling Castle as an improvement on Small's Admirable, and the Herefordshire Pomona judges that "the improvement is certainly very great." A Herefordshire grower quoted in the same work called it "a gem of apples."

Tree

The tree is well adapted for bush or pyramid culture (Herefordshire Pomona). Growth is compact but spreading (Bunyard). Stirling Castle is an immense and extremely fertile bearer — the Herefordshire Pomona states it "will certainly become a general favourite when it is better known"; Veitch (1911) similarly calls it "a great and useful bearer." The variety is a little liable to canker (Bunyard).

Leaves are long, pale, nearly flat, and shallowly serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size

Rather large, sometimes very large (Herefordshire Pomona); fairly large, measuring 3¼ inches in diameter by 2¼ inches in height (Bunyard); large (Veitch).

Form

Round and oblate; when of moderate size, even and regularly shaped (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard similarly describes it as round flattened and regular.

Stem

An inch long, slender, inserted in a deep and wide cavity (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes the stem as slender, seated in a deep cavity lined with russet veins.

Cavity

Deep and wide (Herefordshire Pomona); deep, with russet veins running from the base (Bunyard).

Calyx

The sources disagree on this point: the Herefordshire Pomona describes the eye as half closed, while Bunyard describes it as open. Both are set in a wide, deep basin.

Basin

Pretty deep, wide, and saucer-like (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard calls the basin remarkably wide and deep.

Skin

Clear pea-green, which becomes yellow when the fruit ripens; with a blush and broken stripes of pale crimson on the side next the sun; several large dots sprinkled over the surface (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes the ground color simply as pale green.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh is white, very tender, and juicy, of the character of that of Hawthornden (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes it as soft, white, and acid. Veitch notes good flavour.

Core and Seeds

Not described in sources.

Season

Sources vary on this point. The Herefordshire Pomona states that Stirling Castle may be used in August and September but is best in flavour from October to December. Bunyard gives the season as September to October. Veitch notes August and September.

Uses

An excellent culinary apple (Herefordshire Pomona; Bunyard). A Herefordshire grower quoted in the Pomona called it "a gem of apples" and noted that "in addition to its other good qualities it is one of the best for making jelly." Veitch describes it as "a distinctly early apple" with good flavour.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Not described in sources.