Black Worcester pear

It is thought it may have come to the UK by the Romans and was first mentioned at the Cistercian built Abbey of Warden in Bedfordshire in the 13th century. It may also be linked to the French pear ‘de Livre’. The cultivar is a tentatively accepted name by the RHS. ==Heraldry==

, featuring a tree bearing black pears Pears formed part of the provisions of the troops at Agincourt in 1415, where Worcestershire bowmen carried banners depicting a pear tree laden with fruit. Michael Drayton's poem of the battle, notes “Wor’ster a pear tree laden with its fruit”. So admiring was she of the good management that had allowed the fruit to remain unplucked that she granted an augmentation of honour of a canton charged with "three pears sable" to be added to the city's coat of arms. It is still used on the County Council and County Cricket Club badge. Specific varieties of pear are seldom mentioned in heraldic blazons, although "Warden pears" are blazoned as canting arms for the family of Warden. Pears feature in the canting arms of the families of Parincheff and Periton. ==Warden Pear==

The name of 'Warden pear' may refer to any one of a number of pear varieties that do not truly ripen and must therefore be cooked to be edible. They are used to make "Warden pies"; "I must have Saffron to colour the Warden Pies" (Shakespeare, ''The Winter's Tale iv.3). In Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books'', edited by Thomas Austin for the Early English Text Society (Original Series, Volume 91), a recipe is given (p. 51) for "Quyncis or Wardouns in past" Also known as 'Parkinson's Warden'. ==Description==

The fruits are up to 78mm (3″) wide and 85mm long, and can weigh as much as 260g. The skin is a dark mahogany colour with russet freckles and small areas of rough skin. The flesh is a pale yellow or cream, tinged green under the skin. They should be picked in October or early November, when it is crisp, hard and gritty then they can be stored until April. This does not require refrigeration, hence why they were so valuable in the past, as they could be used by troops when on long-distance travels. They are also sharp and bitter until cooked. There are many old recipes involving the black pears. They have good disease resistance and some Scab resistance. ==References==