About

“It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man”

Henry David Thoreau ‘Wild Apples’ 1862

Apples and People is a digital response to a time of great uncertainty, bringing the amazing global story of the apple to all. Symbolising global connectedness, individual achievement, happenchance, and people and nature working closely together, the apple we eat today offers us hope as well as nourishment.

Based upon a specially commissioned map of the apple world that traces a network of stories about the apple from the ancient world to the present day, apples and people highlights just how significant the fruit is to people, and how vital people have been in selecting the rich variety of apples that are enjoyed around the world today.

46 ‘Apple Stories’ have been published on key dates between January 2021 and June 2023.

Herefordshire grows more apples than anywhere else in the UK, and the UK plays an important part in the global story of the apple. The exhibition programme is a partnership between the Brightspace Foundation, the Museum of Cider and the National Trust in Herefordshire. It is being helped by a panel of some of the world’s leading apple experts – from USA, China, New Zealand, Italy and across the UK.

Funding has been received from the John Ellerman Foundation, Howard Bulmer Charitable Trust, Hereford Cider Museum Trust, East Malling Trust, Hereford City Council, Friends of Herefordshire Museums and Arts, the Becket Bulmer Fund managed by Herefordshire Community Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, individual donors, Heineken and Thatchers Cider.

This online digital engagement preludes exhibitions at the National Trust’s Croft Castle, near Leominster, Herefordshire, UK (22nd April 2023 – 5th November 2023) and the Museum of Cider (27th October 2023 – 28th January 2024) in Hereford, UK.

These two exhibitions will bring together visual art & culture, sound, community engagement, science, and the natural environment to explore the fascinating history of this symbolic fruit. It will be a resource for all those interested in the history and future of the apple, as well as its culinary uses – with suggested reading and links to other information and networks.

Bagging Cider Apples Credenhill, Herefordshire

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About

“It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man”

Henry David Thoreau ‘Wild Apples’ 1862

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Apples & People Exhibition 2023/24

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