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Master Oak
Greater London
Recorded by: Not specified, Ancient Tree Hunt Project (HLF)
-
Trees of National Special Interest (TNSI)
- Species:
- Pedunculate oakQuercus robur
- Form:
- Pollard form (natural)
- Standing or fallen:
- Standing
- Living status:
- Alive
- Girth:
- 7.28m at a height of 0.90m
- Veteran status:
- Ancient tree
- County:
- Greater London
- Country:
- England
- Grid reference:
- TQ15499260
- Public accessibility:
- Public - open access
- Surroundings:
- Woodland
-
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Master Oak
Greater London
Recorded by: Not specified, Ancient Tree Hunt Project (HLF)
- Species:
- Pedunculate oak
- Form:
- Pollard form (natural)
- Standing or fallen:
- Standing
- Living status:
- Alive
- Girth:
- 7.28m at a height of 0.90m
- Condition:
- Holes or water pockets, Hollowing branches, Decaying wood in the crown, Decaying wood on the ground
- Veteran status:
- Ancient tree
- Tree number:
- 12849
- Local or historic name:
- Master Oak
- County:
- Greater London
- Country:
- England
- Grid reference:
- TQ15499260
- Public accessibility:
- Public - open access
- Surroundings:
- Woodland
- Ancient tree site:
- --
- Woodland Trust wood:
- No
- Epiphytes:
- Lichen
- Fungi:
- Evidence of, Other
- Invertebrates:
- Yes
- Bats:
- --
- Recorded by:
- Not specified
- Recording organisation:
- Ancient Tree Hunt Project (HLF)
- Recorded on:
- 15/08/2013
Also known as "The Major"
I doubt this is a natural pollard - its form is typical of a cultivated pillared, although it certainly began life as a forest tree. As for its girth, this measurement at 0.9m is probably more realistic than other quotes of 9m, especially as the trunk widens notably. But the smaller measurement gives less sense of how massive this extraordinary survivor is.
On closer examination, the tree has a several prominent seams that run downwards from where the main trunks meet, looking very much as if they have fused together, having grown up from ground level. This could mean several saplings growing up together, or, possibly, a coppice from which several shoots have grown together over hundreds of years. Where is Oliver Rackham to tell now?