Tillington
PearTillington
Origin / History
An English pear, raised in the village of Tillington, near Hereford, England. It was first exhibited by T. A. Knight, Esq., before the London Horticultural Society in 1820 (Downing). Hedrick, citing the Transactions of the London Horticultural Society (4:521, 1822), records that Thomas Andrew Knight exhibited it as "a Seedling Pear raised from a seed of the Autumn Bergamot impregnated with the pollen of the Jargonelle." Hedrick also cites its description in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (868, 1869).
Tree
Hardy and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size: About medium. Thomas alone calls it small.
Form: Short pyriform (Downing, Herefordshire Pomona), rather uneven in its outline (Herefordshire Pomona). Thomas calls it obovate.
Stem: Short; fleshy, and wasted at its insertion (Herefordshire Pomona).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Open.
Basin: Eye scarcely at all depressed (Herefordshire Pomona).
Skin: Greenish yellow and smooth (Herefordshire Pomona). Thomas gives it as dark green and rough.
Dots: Light brown russet, the skin covered with a number of them (Herefordshire Pomona).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellowish, tender, buttery, melting; not juicy, or "not very juicy" (Herefordshire Pomona). Flavor brisk, vinous, aromatic, "with a peculiar and fine aroma." The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "an excellent Pear," whose "fine sprightly flavour" "contrasts favourably with the luscious sweetness of the Seckel." Downing rates it "Good," while Thomas calls the fruit "coarse, of moderate quality."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October. The Herefordshire Pomona gives it as ripe in October, just after the Seckel.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)Tillington Pear.
Fruit, about medium size; short pyriform, rather uneven in its outline. Skin, smooth, greenish yellow, covered with a number of light-brown russet dots. Eye open, scarcely at all depressed. Stalk, short, fleshy, and wasted at its insertion. Flesh yellowish, tender, buttery, melting, not very juicy, but brisk and vinous, with a peculiar and fine aroma.
Note.—This is an excellent Pear, ripe in October, the fine sprightly flavour of which contrasts favourably with the luscious sweetness of the Seckel, which comes in just before it.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)TILLINGTON.
Raised in the village of Tillington, near Hereford, England, and first exhibited by T. A. Knight, Esq., before the London Horticultural Society, in 1820. Tree hardy and productive.
Fruit medium size, short pyriform, greenish yellow, with light brown russet dots. Stalk short. Calyx open. Flesh yellowish, tender, buttery, melting, not juicy, vinous, aromatic. Good. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Tillington. Small, obovate, dark green, rough; coarse, of moderate quality. October. English.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Tillington. 1. Trans. Lond. Hort. Soc. 4:521. 1822. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 868. 1869. Exhibited by Thomas Andrew Knight before the London Horticultural Society in 1820 as "a Seedling Pear raised from a seed of the Autumn Bergamot impregnated with the pollen of the Jargonelle." Tree hardy, productive. Fruit medium, short-pyriform, greenish-yellow, with light brown russet dots; stalk short; calyx open; flesh yellowish, tender, buttery, melting, not juicy, vinous, aromatic; good; Oct.