Simon English
England Revisited

On a crab apple tree in field south west of Botolph Claydon. 4 miles S.W. of Winslow.

On a stick pushed into the stubble in a dip in the land between Runts Wood and Balmore Wood. This is where I calculate that the crab apple tree was. It was a very big tree then, for an apple, and must have been old, in fact in 1971 one of the main branches had broken off under the weight of apples. It stood alone in grass; presumably the field was grazing then. All the fields round here are now under plough for wheat, and over the hill, maize.

Balmore wood is a mature stand of Scots pine from which timber is being extracted and stacked ready for removal. Runts Wood is listed as ancient semi natural wood and was part of a royal hunting forest. It has Three Points Lane and Bernwood Jubilee Way footpath passing through. This part of a new system of nominated footpaths and has a display board with the history, flora and fauna of the wood erected for the edification of local walkers.

As to whether the ancient apple tree was an ordinary wild crab apple or a specimen of an early domestic variety only expert examination of the dried and pressed sample could tell.

The hedge on the brow of the hill, now no longer required for stock retention is thin and absent in stretches. Its bulk is made up of a long line of stored rotting rolled bales of straw. This could also, with the maize, be headland cover for pheasants.
Points 54 & 58