Which apple trees?

We have 'inherited' two very old (20+ yrs?) cooking apple trees (variety unknown), height approx 15' in the bottom corner of our garden which have not been pruned properly since inception and probably not for several years (perhaps not even in the past 10 years). January 2007 they were pruned hard - one or two large limbs and very many lesser ones. Through 2007 they were fine, produced blossom & a few apples. 2008 produced even less (though I understand 2008 wasn't a good fruit producing year at all - even our damsons suffered). This year we had blossom but no apples. 

 

We would like to cut them down completely, dig up the roots and replace with new but what type and can we replant in the same area? Maybe one eating and one cooking apple tree? We would also like to take bees into account as our neighbour 0.25 miles away has them and we have considered a couple of hives. The area is limited as that part of the garden tapers, creating almost a triangle - two stone walls with minimal hedging in winter and open to east/south east to south west/west elements. On the third side sits an underground septic tank. We also live on the south side of Anglesey so receive much rain and frequent, strong winds. The water table is high and 2' down is clay.

 

 

I would have said your site doesn't sound ideal for an apple tree but as the two you inherited had been there so long it must be O.K.!

For a cooking apple I think Bramley seedlings are best & for eaters you could get any self-pollinating variety or any in the same group as Bramleys. The only apple trees I've got at the moment are a 'Red Devil' & a 'Red Spur' in containers so I can't really recommend anything but good luck.