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The Three Witches Oak

Middlesbrough, Cleveland

Recorded by: Not specified

  • Trees of National Special Interest (TNSI)

About the tree

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Species:
Hybrid sessile and English oakQuercus x rosacea
Form:
Maiden
Standing or fallen:
Standing
Living status:
Alive
Girth:
11.12m at a height of 1.00m History
Veteran status:
Ancient tree

Location of tree

County:
Cleveland
Country:
England
Grid reference:
NZ6007203167
Public accessibility:
Public - partial access (e.g. next to footpath or road)
Surroundings:
Bridlepath / footpath, Woodland

Comments ({{comments.length}})(5)

  • I first saw this tree when walking with some friends from the car park at Clay Bank. We went back and recorded the details on 13 September 2006 and the tree was verified as tree number 2580, so quite an early addition to the Ancient Tree Hunt database. I am quite proud of this one!

  • Tree is still alive and well with many flowers.

  • The tree is doing well and growing at a rate of about 1.95m a year. 11.12m is the lowest measurement I recorded, at about 1m whilst trying to avoid the burrs. The trunk is split into 3, which gives the appearance of more than one tree.

  • The name “The Three Witches Oak” is a recent local epithet and is tied to three fictitious witches from J. J. Hutton’s collection of North Riding tales, ‘Murder, Mysteries and Tales of the Supernatural in the North Riding of Yorkshire’. The story tells of three named witches who were said to meet around this oak on All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) to share news. The name also refers to the heavily hollowed and split trunk, which makes the single oak look like three trees. The oak is said to be 600+ years old.

  • Error above 1.95cm per year !!

  • {{comment.comment}}

Back to summary

The Three Witches Oak

Middlesbrough, Cleveland

Recorded by: Not specified

About the tree

Species:
Hybrid sessile and English oak
Form:
Maiden
Standing or fallen:
Standing
Living status:
Alive
Girth:
11.12m at a height of 1.00m History
Condition:
Hollowing trunk, Decaying wood in the crown, Decaying wood on the ground
Veteran status:
Ancient tree
Tree number:
38805
Local or historic name:
The Three Witches Oak
Tag number:

Location of tree

County:
Cleveland
Country:
England
Grid reference:
NZ6007203167
Public accessibility:
Public - partial access (e.g. next to footpath or road)
Surroundings:
Bridlepath / footpath, Woodland
Ancient tree site:
--
Woodland Trust wood:
No

Wildlife

Epiphytes:
Lichen, Moss, Fern, Cuckoo tree
Fungi:
Beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica), Species not listed
Invertebrates:
Yes
Bats:
--

Recorded by

Recorded by:
Not specified
Recording organisation:
--
Last visited:
06/11/2025
First recorded:
07/09/2009