Origin uncertain, probably arose at Hessle near East Yorkshire. First recorded in 1827, but probably much older. Very hardy. Widely grown in the north of England and Scotland in the past. Fruit small, round-conical. Skin greenish yellow, some fruits heavily russeted, others with russet only around the stem. Conspicuous lenticels. Flesh white, juicy, fairly sweet, gritty near core. Tree has weeping growth habit. -- J. Arbury, Pears, 1997.Hessle is an old English pear, and takes its name from the village of Hessle in Yorkshire where it was first discovered. Fruit rather small, turbinate, greenish-yellow, much covered with large russety dots, giving it a freckled appearance; flesh nearly white, tender,with an agreeable, aromatic juice; a good market-garden pear; October. -- U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York, 1921.
Hessel (of Robert Thompson, 1842). Hazel. A Scotch pear, enormously productive, pretty, and of agreeable flavour, though it lasts only a few days in perfection. Tree with weeping branches. Fruit rather below medium size, obovate. Skin yellowish-green, strongly marked with numerous dots, which give it a brownish, freckled appearance. Stalk an inch long, obliquely inserted. Calyx small, set in a shallow basin. Flesh whitish, juicy, with a pleasant, sugary flavour. First of September. -- A.J. Downing, The fruits and fruit trees of America, 1846.