Viscount Scudamore of Holme Lacy takes an interest in orchards and cider varieties while in France as Charles I's ambassador. The fame of Herefordshire cider lies with the Redstreak apple raised from a pip by Lord Scudamore on his return to England.

�Let every Tree in every Garden own The Red-streak as supream; whose pulpous Fruit with Goldirradiate, and Vermillian shines..�

Agriculture into depression and cider receives a great boost.

�Following the noble example of my Lord Scudamore and some other spirited gentlemen in those parts [that] all Herefordshire is become in a manner but one entire orchard�. 1662.

Cider rapidly becomes the national drink.It is reputed that more cider than ale houses were licensed in London during the reign of Charles II.

1763 Lord Bute, the Prime Minister, introduces a tax of four shillings a hogshead on cider and perry. His effigy is burnt in market squares.

�Rejoice! Here's welcome News, Come let us merry be,
Sing George, our gravious Kind, in his great Clemency,
So kindly has consented his Subjects' Wants to ease,
By taking off the Cider Tax, which does the Kingdom please� 1766

By the time the tax is reduced in 1766 it is too late - agriculture has moved on. The Board of Agriculture's surveyor reports that in Herefordshire farmers are neglecting their orchards for the plough and consider �cider making an intrusion on operations of greater importance'. At end of 18th century, Thomas Andrew Knight, faced with the sad condition of his native orchards, attempts to resurrect the glories of Herefordshire's cider past. He spent all his life among the orchards of Herefordshire, at Wormsley and Downton, and Shropshire. He published two books on his work:

Treatise on Cider - spelling out each stage in production 1797

1811 Pomona Herefordiensis -describing all locally grown varieties of cider apples and perry pears.

Knight's work was not enough. Victorian agriculture prospered from 1850 to 1880 and farmers took little interest in their orchards.

CW Radcliffe-Cooke of Much Marcle and MP for Hereford wages a campaign in support of cider. Known as �The Member for Cider� he later introduced Weston's Cider into the bar of the House of Commons..

1876 Woolhope Naturalists Field Club �Pomona Committee� begin work on the famous Herefordshire Pomona, containing descriptions and beautiful coloured illustrations of nearly 400 specimens, including cider apples as well as table fruit.

Herefordshire is loaded with awards at a famous horticultural show in Rouen for their dessert and culinary fruit, bottles of cider, and the Herefordshire Pomona. 1884

1885 Final publication of Herefordshire Pomona.

Between 1870 and 1900 no fewer than 12 cider factories opened around Hereford, including Bulmers and Westons.

This century has seen history repeat itself once more - agriculture was strong after the war and cider fruit took a dive. But in recent years, things have been on the up again.

Bulmers now has the largest apple pressing mill in the world right here in Hereford. They can process 1,200 tons of apples a day and they have planted 1.5 million new cider apple trees in the last few years. At the end of the century, cider is once again important - and Westons Cider is back in the bar at the House of Commons!