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Cowthorpe Oak
Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire
Recorded by: Alan Hunton
- Species:
- Pedunculate oakQuercus robur
- Form:
- Maiden
- Standing or fallen:
- Gone
- Living status:
- Dead
- Girth:
- 14.00m at a height of 1.50m
- Veteran status:
- Ancient tree
- County:
- North Yorkshire
- Country:
- England
- Grid reference:
- SE4267752817
- Public accessibility:
- Private - no access information recorded
- Surroundings:
- Field
-
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Cowthorpe Oak
Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire
Recorded by: Alan Hunton
- Species:
- Pedunculate oak
- Form:
- Maiden
- Standing or fallen:
- Gone
- Living status:
- Dead
- Girth:
- 14.00m at a height of 1.50m
- Condition:
- --
- Veteran status:
- Ancient tree
- Tree number:
- 197750
- Local or historic name:
- Cowthorpe Oak
- County:
- North Yorkshire
- Country:
- England
- Grid reference:
- SE4267752817
- Public accessibility:
- Private - no access information recorded
- Surroundings:
- Field
- Ancient tree site:
- --
- Woodland Trust wood:
- No
- Epiphytes:
- --
- Fungi:
- --
- Invertebrates:
- --
- Bats:
- --
- Recorded by:
- Alan Hunton
- Recording organisation:
- --
- Recorded on:
- 29/07/2020
Its circumference was 60 feet (18 m); its principal limb (which was propped) extended 48 feet (15 m) from the bole. The tree was decaying by the 19th century; tradition speaks of its being in decay for many generations. "Compared with this," says Dr. Hunter, in Evelyn's Silva, "all other trees are children of the Forest." According to an early history of Knaresborough, "The leading branch fell, by a storm, in the year 1718; which, being measured with accuracy, was found to contain five tons and two feet of wood. (Wikipedia).
There are many accounts of it's girth in the 18th and 19th century and these vary from 13m to over 18m.
However, the tree was still flourishing in part as late as 1906: it was photographed in that year, and 'the tree [was] still in good shape, with a lot of strong branches and folliage, although many of the branches are now propped up...the oak still puts forth leaves and periodically sports a few acorns.'[8] The tree, which was painted by J.M.W. Turner, finally died in 1950 and there is now little or no trace of it
It was described in journals as being one of the wonders of Yorkshire. In books written about the oak it was said to be not less than 1600 years. In the mid 1800’s a hollow in the tree trunk measured 14ft in diameter and was used as a calf house. At the end of the 19th century it is recorded that the Vicar of St James’s, Wetherby and churchwardens and ninety five school children got inside the tree, and while the Vicar raised the Union Jack, the children sang the ‘Old Hundreth,’ and the National Anthem. It is known that the world famous landscape artist William Turner visited Yorkshire several times making pencil sketches of potential scenes to be painted. On a visit in 1815-16 he passed through Cowthorpe making several sketches of the Cowthorpe Oak.
As a child in the 1950’s I recall visiting the remains of the Cowthorpe Oak with my parents . My memory is quite vague but I do remember sitting in what remained of the bole and being told that in its day the tree had been known to accommodate the Wetherby Brass Band members with their instruments. Obviously I can’t verify the story but there may be an element of credibility if it has been recorded that the clergy of Wetherby plus ninety five school children got inside the tree in the late 19th century for a bit of a singsong!