This variety, as its name indicates, originates from the district of Newland just outside Malvern. According to the Herefordshire Pomona the variety arose around 1800, supposedly from a pip that grew from a disgarded pile of pomace (the pulp left over from a cider press) at Newland Court.
Recorded as an excellent culinary apple it was said to keep until May without any tendancy to decay even if bruised (a highly unusual characteristic as most varieties rot quickly if bruised). However, if left until after Christmas it was supposed to have sweetened to the point of making it edible as a dessert apple, so something of a dual purpose variety.
It was exhibited at the RHS in 1888 by William Crump, head gardener at Madresfield Court, the same estate that owned Newland Court. As a tree it is said to be very hardy and a heavy cropper. One of the tenant farmers at Newland Court in the 1800s claimed it was ‘the best family apple known’and he wished all his orchards were of Newland Sack. Despite these heady days it has long since waned in popularity and is now an extremely rare and obscure variety of the county.
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Introduced
Around 1800
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Area
Worcestershire
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