Cider History

It is a common misconception that cider was introduced to Britain by the Norman invaders in 1066. Cider has its history from as far back as the Celts; they believed that the apple was the food of the gods and cider was often used within ceremonies for altered states of consciousness.

The original varieties of apples that may have been used to make “cyder” could have been relatives to the indigenous crab apples. These would have later been crossbred when apples started to be cultivated by the Romans in the 5^th century; to improve size, yield and sugar content.

By the 7^th Century cider was considered high enough quality to be served alongside wine at a meal.

By 1341, 74 of the 80 parishes in West Sussex were paying part of their tithe (one tenth of annual produce or earnings, formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church and clergy) in cider. By 1300 there were references to cider production in Devonshire, Essex, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Norfolk, Worcestershire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Herefordshire and in most counties as far north as Yorkshire. In the 14th century children were even baptised in cider as it was cleaner than most water!

The earliest written reference to cider was in the Wycliffe “Cider Bible” printed in the 15^th Century. "Cider Bible" is housed in the Chained Library at Hereford Cathedral.