Ralph Austen

Wrote one of the first books on cider. “A Treatise of Fruit Trees”.  An early enthusiast linking fruit trees and fruit products with God. Ralph was religious and spirituality and nature were commonly closely entwined. Unfortunately Ralph was a Protestant and the Restoration and the Royal Society wiped him from the history books. No image of him exists today. This is the front-piece of his book.

Interestingly in a book I have of collected letters of Oldenburg Secretary to the Royal Society concerning orchards is one letter by Anthony Lawrence commending Austen to the Royal Society and for a memorial plaque to be erected 

See Cider Musings