Thecostard was a variety of apple popular inmedieval England, and the second apple-variety (after thepearmain) introduced by theNormans. It was grown widely as acommercial crop by the 13th century and was supplied to the household ofEdward I in 1292. It remained widespread for several hundred years, until other apple varieties gained popularity during the 17th century. It is thought to have been acooking apple and was perhaps similar to the modernBellflower apple. It is said[citation needed] to have been named for its resemblance to the human head (for which "costard" was another (later)[1]term).
The first known named English apple variety was thepearmain which was first mentioned in 1204, having been introduced by the Normans.[2][3] The costard is the second known variety introduced by the Normans and was commonly grown as a commercial crop in the 13th century.[3][4][2] It is mentioned, by the name "Poma Costard", in afruiterer's bill forEdward I in 1292.[5] In 1296 100 costard apples could be bought in Oxford for one shilling and in 1325 29 costard trees could be purchased for three shillings.[2] The monks ofReading Abbey were entitled by one agreement to an annual payment of "unum pomum costard" (one costard apple), possibly an example of aPeppercorn payment.[6]
The costard apple remained one of the best known and most famous of British apple varieties for several hundred years.[7] The costard and pearmain varieties were the only ones popularly grown in Britain until the 17th century.[8] The costard is said to have long fallen out of favour by the 20th century.[9] It is described as "not known" in the United Kingdom in a report of 1830 and as "now appears to be extinct" in 1967.[9][10]
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Nurseryman and pomologist George Lindley described the costard as synonymous with theCatshead apple but this has been disputed.[5] The 17th-century botanistJohn Parkinson described two varieties of costard: "gray" and "greene". He described the "gray" as a good winter apple, whitish in colour and stated the "greene" was similar apart from coloration of the skin. Leonard Meager in his 1670 work theComplete English Gardener stated there were three types: white, grey and red.[5]
The costard is believed to have been acooking apple, perhaps similar to the modernBellflower apple.[11][9] The name is possibly derived from the Latincostatus ("ribbed"), relating to prominent external protrusions on this variety.[5] The apple gave its name to thecostermonger (which was originally "costard monger", a seller of costards), a term used to describe a transient fruit seller.[9]
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400) mentioned the costard in his work, writing: "your chekes embolmed like a mellow costard".[12] In 1597William Lawson wrote about growing apple trees and stated that the costard and "Pipping" apple were large trees and that to ensure best yields they should be grown on the north side of an orchard so as not to shade other trees.[13]
Samuel Johnson in his 1755A Dictionary of the English Language thought that the name derived from the use of costard to refer to the head (for which he cited Shakespeare). He supposed that the apple was so named as it was large and round and thus resembled a head.[6] Shakespeare uses the term in scene IV of act I ofRichard III (1593) where one of the murderers suggests hitting theDuke of Clarence over the head with their sword hilts.[14] In his mid-1590s comedyLove's Labour's Lost the court jester to the King of Navarre is namedCostard.[15]
