Bean (Runner) Seeds - Black Knight The story is that this runner bean has been grown by the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Edmund Knight, and to have been passed to some of the local congregants in the late 1800’s. This could be true or an old wife’s tale, but where it originates from has been certainly been lost in time and history. The beans of \'Black Knight\' may look a little more gnarly than most, but they are still tender and juicy even when the pods become older and the beans begin to show. For the best tasting results, steam lightly to keep their colour. Pods range from 20-30cm.