Moorcroft Pear - Synonyms: Choke Pear, Chokers, Malvern Hill Pear, Malvern Hills, Malvern Pear, Stinking Bishop. Believed to have originated at Moorcroft Farm, Colwall where Hogg and Bull found `many trees of a considerable age?. First record 1884. Widely planted throughout the main perry producing districts and beyond. Tree: May be very large with few long upright limbs. Rounded head and has the appearance and proportions of a grand oak when growing on good soil. Its bark has distinctive deep vertical striations. Jean Nowell and Kevin Minchew (2010) report that this variety makes a fragrant perry. In the late 1800s Percy Bishop lived at Moorcroft Farm and due to his riotous living earned himself the nickname 'Stinking Bishop'. Hence this name became synonymous with this variety. Andy Shayle of Ashleworth distinguishes between Moorcroft and Malvern Hills Pears, the latter is a later version and has the same characteristic deeply striated bark. Similarly Bill Gooch differentiated between the Moorcroft and Malvern Hills Pears.
Many people have remarked that fine quality Moorcroft perry can be deceptively strong. The symptoms seem to be of feeling quite normal until trying to stand when the legs just won?t work, necessitating a journey home by wheelbarrow. The perry got nicknamed 'Wheelbarrow perry'. -- C. Martell. 2010. Pears of Gloucestershire.