• Heritage Tree

• Trees of National Special Interest (TNSI)

The survivor of the ‘Preston Twins’ in Preston Park, Brighton, is believed to be the oldest English Elm (Ulmus minor ‘Atinia’) left in the world. Once almost ubiquitous, this fast-growing clone of elm provided particularly vulnerable to the outbreak of Elm Disease which swept across England in the 1960s and 70s. In Brighton and Hove, constant vigilance has allowed many elms to survive, but the second Preston Twin was fatally infected in 2018-19. Although it is good practice in most cases to allow dead trees to decay naturally, dead elm timber has to be debarked in the Brighton and Hove Elm Disease containment area to prevent elm bark beetles breeding and spreading the fatal fungus. The lost Twin is now commemorated by an artwork by Elpida Hadzi Vasileva, who has charred the debarked trunk to prevent decay, and partly gilded it.

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The survivor of the ‘Preston Twins’ in Preston Park, Brighton, is believed to be the oldest English Elm (Ulmus minor ‘Atinia’) left in the world. Once almost ubiquitous, this fast-growing clone of elm provided particularly vulnerable to the outbreak of Elm Disease which swept across England in the 1960s and 70s. In Brighton and Hove, constant vigilance has allowed many elms to survive, but the second Preston Twin was fatally infected in 2018-19. Although it is good practice in most cases to allow dead trees to decay naturally, dead elm timber has to be debarked in the Brighton and Hove Elm Disease containment area to prevent elm bark beetles breeding and spreading the fatal fungus. The lost Twin is now commemorated by an artwork by Elpida Hadzi Vasileva, who has charred the debarked trunk to prevent decay, and partly gilded it.

About the tree

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Species:

English elmUlmus minor 'Atinia'

Form:

Maiden

Standing or fallen:

Standing

Living status:

Alive

Girth:

6.38m at a height of 1.50m

Veteran status:

Ancient tree

Location of tree

County:

Brighton and Hove

Country:

England

Grid reference:

TQ3030906290

Public accessibility:

Public - open access (e.g. public park)

Surroundings:

Parkland, Urban Tree