Over more than a hundred years, it's hosted some of the finest minds in the field of apple research, and some of the merriest.

But strictly speaking, East Malling Research Station can't take all the credit for the latter – that's largely down to CAMRA's East Malling Beer and Cider Festival regularly held in the station's grounds.

What the station can take full credit for is a track record of ground-breaking research, which has transformed fruit production around the world.

It all began back in 1912 when M J R Dunstan, principal of Wye College, addressed 600 fruit growers in Maidstone Town Hall on "The scope of scientific research in fruit growing", highlighting the achievements of Rothamsted Experimental Station, established in 1843, and arguing for a new fruit research station in Kent.

He was a clearly a persuasive man. The Board of Agriculture pledged annual funding, while Kent County Council purchased 23 acres of land at East Malling, and so the village became the new home of the Wye College Fruit Experiment Station in 1913.

Over the next hundred years the station would go through numerous identity changes and affiliations – most recently known as NIAB EMR – but it's always stuck to the vision of its first director, R Wellington, who defined the task of the station as "the study of problems met within the actual culture of fruit trees and bushes."

That might not sound like earth-shattering ambition, but through its research East Malling has arguably changed the world.

Malling rootstocks were taken up by growers around the globe, meaning many modern apple varieties can be traced back to East Malling, while the station also developed "controlled atmosphere storage", keeping fruit fresher for longer and helping establish a year-round supply chain.

Techniques in battling disease and pests have also helped reduce crop losses around the world, while new varieties of fruit have helped improve yields for both gardeners and farmers.

One such example is the Malling Centenary, a strawberry developed to mark the 100th anniversary of the station, which subsequently became the most widely grown June-bearing strawberry variety in the UK.

Nearby growers Hugh Lowe Farms in Mereworth list it as one of their favourites – "with excellent flavour and being easy to pick" – and has regularly grown the Malling Centenary to supply Wimbledon.

A report by Brookdale Consulting in 2014 estimated that for every £1 spent at the research centre, at least another £7.50 has been returned to the UK economy.

All of which means it's not surprising the station has gained royal approval.

Current owners the National Institute of Agricultural Botany boasted the Queen as their patron for 70 years, while visitors to East Malling Research included the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne.

In 1957 the Duke is said to have been given a tour of the orchards while sitting on a bale of straw in a farm trailer, before learning about experiments to develop thornless gooseberries.

Later on, Princess Anne visited the station in 1988 and helped plant a tree – returning 25 years later to check on its progress and join the station's 100th birthday celebrations in 2013.

"Arriving by helicopter, she looked relaxed as she chatted with scientists about their work, which continues to blaze a trail in fruit production and scientific development to this day," reported the Kent Messenger.

"East Malling Research chief executive prof Peter Gregory said: 'It was great that she was able to come and join us again. She clearly showed an interest in what we're doing here and clearly very knowledgeable in East Malling and it was a great delight to have her here.'"

Not all visits have been so regal. The long-standing East Malling Beer and Cider Festival has seen hundreds turn up at the site in every year, lured by thousands of gallons of beer and cider on offer at Maidstone and Mid Kent CAMRA's "annual showcase event".

This year's event promises around "70 real ales and 30 ciders and perries", with the festival open from 11am until 7pm, "or until the beer runs dry!"

Or in other words, if you arrive by helicopter, it's advisable not to be at the controls while leaving.

But of course while it might not have the dignity of a royal visit, the festival's usually pretty civilised – with crowds enjoying live music and food stalls to help dance off or soak up the ale.

Throughout the rest of the year, the research station land has also long provided a relaxing space for walkers and joggers, with its fields and orchards crossed by footpaths – although some of that land is now under threat from a plan to build 1,600 new homes.

If approved, the plans would see an estate built on agricultural land across Ditton, Aylesford and East Malling, with an east-west link road between Allington and East Malling.

Meanwhile, research at the site goes on.

These days, work at East Malling is applied to a wider range of crops than fruit, with mushrooms, bulbs, ornamental shrubs and herbs also in the brief, while NIAB EMR continues to broaden its research capability.

Hopefully the rest of Kent, and the wider world, can continue to benefit from the fruits of its labours for many years to come.