Bramley apple fans have been shocked to the core after the garden housing the original tree was sold.Campaigners aimed to turn Bramley Cottage, which was owned by Nottingham Trent University since 2018, into a heritage site to honour the ancient tree.But the garden in Southwell, Nottingham, has now been sold to owners of a neighbouring cottage, leaving fans of the very first Bramley apple tree 'gobsmacked.'The tree which is more than 200 years old, was planted by Mary Ann Brailsford in her parents' garden on Church Street in the early 1800s. Since then, millions of saplings have been grown from the tree around the world, with more than 83,000 tonnes grown at more than 300 growers in the UK each year.Artist, Dan Llywelyn Hall co-founded the campaign to buy the cottage from the university, to keep public access to the tree and turn it into a heritage site for tourists.Campaigners raised £14,000 from more than 320 donations toward buying the garden but were pipped at the post by Bramley Cottage's neighbours.However, the university-owned cottage, previously used for student accommodation, remains on the market with a guide price of £400,000. The Bramley apple tree is more than 200 years old and was planted from seed by Mary Ann Brailsford in the early 1800s A campaign has been launched to raise funds for the original Bramley apple tree, which was planted more than 200 years ago Artist and campaigner, Dan Llywelyn Hall, unveiled paintings of the tree in 2024. He was the last to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth IIMr Llywelyn Hall, who unveiled paintings of the tree in 2024, was informed by the university on May 29 that the garden with 'Mother Bramley' in had been purchased.He said: 'It is a very sad day for our ancient heritage trees.'It has been failed by all the institutions and now Nottingham Trent University, ironically a university of environment and agriculture, have done this. We are all gobsmacked.'In recent years, Nottingham Trent University cared for the tree, but it is now giving the new owners, Joshua and Alice Wheatley care-giving advice.An NTU spokesperson said: 'We are delighted that custodianship of the tree has passed to the owners of the neighbouring property, Bramley Tree Cottage.'Historically the Bramley was in this garden, so it is great to be able to support the return to its original home. 'The university is now supporting the new custodians with advice on how to care for the Bramley, which has outlived its natural lifespan by quite some time.'Nottingham Trent University said the tree suffers from honey fungus which will eventually lead it to perish. The Bramley apple became a popular cooking staple almost 50 years after Ms Brailsford planted the tree in the cottage's garden. A 17-year-old boy called Henry Merryweather saw a gardener carrying some apples and asked where they had been grown.By then, the garden belonged to a butcher called Matthew Bramley who gave the young man permission to take some 'Bramley Seedlings'.Celia Stevens, who is the great-granddaughter of Mr Merryweather, said the tree is an 'important part of fruit history'.She said: 'To be seen by the public with care and explanations after so many years of service so to speak would be very special to Southwell.'It has earned recognition, and this venerable old fruit tree is deserving of the many accolades it has received through the years.'The original Bramley tree was named one of the 50 Great British Trees during Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002. And was one of 70 trees to be dedicated to the late Queen for her Platinum Jubilee 20 years later.Bramley Tree campaigner and artist, Mr Llywelyn Hall, was the youngest artist to paint a portrait of Elizabeth before her death.