New Variety of Apple Being Grown in Nottinghamshire, England, home of several Mayflower Pilgrims, Commemorating the 400th Anniversary in 2020

The “Pilgrim 400” apple is coming to Provincetown as part of a cross-cultural exchange with Provincetown 400 and the Bassetlaw District Council, UK which encompasses the region where William Brewster and other Mayflower Pilgrims once called home before embarking on their journey to America.

Provincetown 400 will be the recipient of a new variety of apple tree known as the “Pilgrim Apple” to commemorate the 400th anniversary in 2020 of the Mayflower Pilgrims arrival in Provincetown.The “Pilgrim 400” apple is being grown by horticulturist John Stirland in Nottinghamshire, England, the county where William Brewster once lived.

There are only 20 saplings of the “Pilgrim 400” apple tree being grown at present, and Provincetown is the only U.S.-based location where the tree will be planted. This fall, the “Pilgrim 400” apple tree will be planted on the grounds of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM) which oversees Provincetown 400 commemoration activities.

Stirland says that he wanted to think of a way to commemorate the anniversary of the Mayflower voyage in a horticultural way and came up with the idea to grow a new variety of apple and name it the Pilgrim 400 Apple.

“It is a pleasure to work on this horticultural project that will create lasting connections among places that have historic significance for the Mayflower Pilgrims,” said John Stirland. “We are excited that there will be a ‘Pilgrim 400’ apple tree planted in Provincetown, where the Mayflower first landed in America. There’s so much interest in what we are doing that the Pilgrim 400 apple even has its own Twitter account.”

The Pilgrim 400 Apple tree project stemmed from the partnership established by the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum with Bassetlaw District Council in North Nottinghamshire, England. The partnership was created to strengthen ties, both cultural and educational, between the two regions in conjunction with the 2020 commemoration. 

Sandra Withington, of Bassetlaw District Council said, “We are delighted that Provincetown will be home to one of the first Pilgrim 400 apples, together with other significant sites in the Mayflower story such as Scrooby, Plymouth and Dartmouth. We are especially pleased that the tree unites Nottinghamshire, birthplace of the Pilgrim 400 apple with the United States, home of the apple pie!”

The first Pilgrim 400 apple tree will be planted in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, UK, in September, followed by the tree planting in Provincetown in October or November.  Other UK locations where the Pilgrim 400 apple trees will be planted in 2020 include: Austerfield, Boston, Gainsborough, Immingham, Worcester, London, Harwich, Dartmouth, Plymouth, Southhampton and other locations in the Bassetlaw region.

PMPM Executive Director and Provincetown 400 Task Force Co-Chair Dr. K. David Weidner said that “it will be an honor to plant the ‘Pilgrim 400’ apple tree in Provincetown as a symbol of the growing relationship between the two regions that are rich in Pilgrim history.”

To follow the Pilgrim 400 Apple on Twitter click here

To follow Provincetown 400 on Twitter click here

For more information on Provincetown 400 signature events and programs, volunteer opportunity, donor and sponsorship information, please visitwww.provincetown400.org