Ribston Pippin
Preserved but no longer current.
So called from Ribston, in Yorkshire, where the first pippins, introduced from Normandy about 1707, were planted. It is said that Sir Henry Goodriche planted three pips; two died, and from the third came all the Ribston apple-trees in England.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ribston Pippin” mean?
So called from Ribston, in Yorkshire, where the first pippins, introduced from Normandy about 1707, were planted. It is said that Sir Henry Goodriche planted three pips; two died, and from the third came all the Ribston apple-trees in England.
Is “Ribston Pippin” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.