James Grieve

An old variety of apple bred before 1893 in Edinburgh by James Grieve. One of the parent plants was almost certainly Cox Orange and it has a similar crisp tart flavour, sweetening and softening before the fruit 'goes over'. It is extremely versatile and was once grown across Northern Europe and was transported in straw filled baskets. Alas, because it bruises easily it is not suitable for modern distribution to supermarkets and has declined in popularity. 

My small vertical cordon produces an annual abundance of fruit superior to anything our local supermarket can sell - which I admit does not set the bar particularly high.