Exploring the United Kingdom's Oldest and Most Majestic Ancient Trees

Trees have been hanging around on this old island we call the United Kingdom since the last Ice Age about 10,000 years ago.

As with most things, someone somewhere has recorded some form of data about these trees and categorised the data into 'the oldest' and 'the widest'. Sometimes useful, sometimes not, and occasionally fun, we're going to try to make it fun by looking at the oldest trees in the UK by years old (some known definitively and some estimated). Rather boringly, we're only looking at the oldest trees, not the oldest by species, which means this list is dominated by Yew trees and Oaks, as they appear immortal with lives stretching into the thousands of years!

Get ready to step into the shade of these timeless giants and be awed by their resilience and grandeur.

Quick intro PS - Determining a tree's age can be challenging due to hollow trunks preventing ring count. Yew trees are known for their longevity and renewal capabilities, making them one of the oldest species. While an oak tree becomes ancient after around 400 years, yews don't reach this status until approximately 900 years. After this, ancient yews can continue to flourish for thousands of years.

Another slight detour before getting to the article.

Yew trees were regarded as sacred by Druids due to their perceived potent magic attributes, which led to their use in crafting wands and staffs. These trees symbolised longevity, regeneration, and resurrection in Celtic culture because of their unique ability to form new trunks from drooping branches and withstand harsh winters.

Today, Yew trees seem to frequent churchyards. Some historians propose that these trees were planted around churches as a dependable source of longbow wood or to keep grazing cattle at bay with their poisonous foliage and berries.

Definitions

Different species of trees will have longer life expectancies than others. In the UK, there is a one-upmanship between Sessile and Pedunculate Oak trees. It is effortless to be confused about some details, so we thought we'd have a little explainer section before getting into the topic.

What's a Sessile Oak, what's a Pedunculate Oak, and how are these trees different?

The sessile oak gets its name from the word 'sessile', meaning "fixed in one place, immobile". This is because its acorns are attached directly to the branch at the base.

The Pedunculate Oak, also known as the English oak or Quercus robur, is a common deciduous tree native to Europe. "Pedunculate" refers to the trees' acorns, which hang on slender stalks or 'peduncles'.

The second difference between these two oak trees is their leaf structure. The Sessile Oak's leaves have short stalks and wider lobes, while the Pedunculate Oak's leaves have long stalks and narrower lobes.

A Sessile Oak and its acorns

A Pedunculate Oak and its acorns

Beyond that, both species are large and long-lived, adding significant contributions to the biodiversity and beauty of the landscapes they inhabit.

What is pollarding?

Pollarding is a pruning technique used to maintain trees and shrubs at a designated height, keeping them smaller than their natural size. This method typically begins once the plant achieves a certain height and, if performed annually, will effectively keep the plant at this desired height.

Is it possible to visit these elderly trees?

Some trees listed below are freely accessible to the public, some are ticketed or by appointment, and some are entirely introverted, preferring to stay hidden away.

For those trees that are viewable, please be mindful. Due to high footfall, some of these beautiful, ancient trees are at risk due to root compression (it's got to be similar to loads of people constantly standing on your toes).

To be a mindful traveller, appreciate the beauty of these trees from a reasonable distance, and do not disregard any barriers put in place for their protection. These have been installed for a purpose.

Big Belly Oak, Wiltshire

The Big Bellied Oak, an ancient tree in the Savernake Forest, is an awe-inspiring pedunculate oak. The tree is estimated to be between 800 and 1,100 years old.

Its girth was a remarkable 11.18 metres when measured at 1.3 metres high in 2009.

Located on the roadside of the bustling A346 between Marlborough and Burbage, the Big Bellied Oak is a fascinating sight for those passing by. However, visitors with young children or pets should exercise caution due to the high-speed traffic on this road.

One unique aspect of this tree is its large cavity, resulting from pollarding - a process where the tree was cut two-thirds up its trunk, leading to new branch growth and an eventual hollowing of the trunk. Interestingly, among all pollarded trees in the Savernake Forest, the Big Bellied Oak boasts the largest cavity.

Major Oak, Nottinghamshire

The Major Oak, a grand specimen of the English Oak species, is deeply rooted in Sherwood Forest, near the village of Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire, England. With a remarkable history, this tree is believed to be between 800 and 1,000 years old, standing as a testament to the test of time. The Major Oak's substantial measurements, including a weight of roughly 23 tons (you could call that carrying a bit of timber), a girth of 33 feet (10 metres), and a canopy that stretches out 92 feet (28 metres), make it the second-largest oak in the UK.

Going down to the pub in Edwinstowe, you may hear that Major Oak was the reputed hideaway of Robin Hood and his merry men.

Major Oak was named after Major Hayman Rooke, a British soldier-turned-antiquarian with a deep love for Sherwood Forest.

Since 1908, the tree has been supported by chains to bear its weight, while an elaborate scaffolding system has further bolstered its immense limbs since the 1970s. To protect the tree from soil compaction due to the influx of visitors, fences were installed around it in 1974.

Bowthorpe Oak, Lincolnshire

The Bowthorpe Oak, located at Bowthorpe Park Farm in Lincolnshire, is an impressive specimen of the pedunculate oak species.

Though not definitively known, age estimates suggest that this ancient tree could be over a millennium old!

With a circumference measuring approximately 44 feet (13.3 metres at 1.5m from the ground), it has the most immense girth of all pedunculate oaks in the UK, making it the second-widest individual tree in the country after the Marton Oak (a sessile oak) in Cheshire.

This remarkable tree not only stands out for its size and age but also for its hollow trunk, which has served various purposes over the years. In the past, it would host up to 20 people as a dining room!

It has been enclosed with fencing to protect its roots from soil compaction.

The tree is situated on a farm that once belonged to the now-deserted medieval village of 'Bowthorpe', and those interested in experiencing its grandeur up close can do so via pre-booked private tours.

King Offa's Oak, Berkshire

King Offa's Oak, a majestic pedunculate oak species, proudly stands within the boundaries of Windsor Great Park in Berkshire.

This venerable tree, with a substantial girth of 11.18 metres (36.7 ft), has been a silent witness to history, with experts estimating its age to be anywhere between 1300 and possibly up to 1500 years. This impressive lifespan potentially crowns it the oldest oak in the United Kingdom!

This exceptional oak's trunk splits just 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) above the ground into several massive offshoots. Despite the passage of time and the collapse of a significant portion of its trunk, the tree continues demonstrating vitality with several living offshoots and a thriving crown. However, this grand oak is situated on private land within Windsor Great Park, meaning public access is not permitted.

Marton Oak, Cheshire

The famous Marton Oak, located in the quaint village of Marton, Cheshire, is a remarkable tree belonging to the sessile oak species.

With an age of over 1,200 years, it proudly stands as the oldest tree in Cheshire.

Boasting a remarkable girth of 14.02 metres (46.0 ft) measured at 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above the ground, it claims the title of the largest and widest tree in the UK since the fall of the Newland Oak in Gloucestershire, which fell in 1970.

An intriguing aspect of the Marton Oak is that despite being split into sections, it shares a single root system, a characteristic often seen in ancient sessile and pedunculate oaks. This split poses no immediate risk to its health.

Marton is another such tree that is on private property. To see it requires consent from the landowner.

Borrowdale Yew, Cumbria

The Borrowdale Yew, located in the scenic environment of Cumbria, belongs to the species known as Taxus baccata.

This tree is believed to be approximately 1,500 to 2,000 years old.

The size of this yew is truly impressive, with a hollow trunk expansive enough to accommodate four adults standing inside.

The tree is nestled at the far end of the Borrowdale valley, where it continues to thrive despite damages caused over time. Unfortunately, it has been the victim of people lighting fires within its hollow centre. Despite this, the tree stands firm, and it is our hope that it will continue to do so for several more centuries.

Of particular note is the tree's fraternal connection to three other yews, as celebrated by Wordsworth in his 1803 poem, "Yew Trees". Regrettably, one of these sibling trees fell victim to a storm several years ago. The remaining three, which some believe to share the same rootstock, maintain a peaceful coexistence in their grove. Visitors are kindly requested to avoid climbing on these historic entities to aid in their preservation.

The Ankerwycke Yew, Berkshire

The Ankerwycke Yew, distinguished by its significant size and age, belongs to the species of yew trees.

It proudly stands near the ruins of St Mary's Priory in Wraysbury, Berkshire, an area with a rich historical tapestry.

The tree measures 8 metres (26 ft) in circumference at a height of 0.3 metres, marking it as a substantial presence in the landscape.

The Ankerwycke Yew is a venerable specimen, with its age estimated between up to 2,500 years, making it an ancient guardian of the area's heritage.

The tree's history intertwines with significant events and figures. Some argue that the Ankerwycke Yew might have silently witnessed the historic sealing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago. This claim is based on its proximity to the Priory and its location on slightly raised ground, suggesting it could have offered a dry, suitable site amidst an otherwise marshy landscape near the floodplain of the Thames. The Ankerwycke Yew doesn't stop at political history – it's believed to have served as a romantic backdrop where King Henry VIII wooed Anne Boleyn in the 1530s before he had her head lopped off!

St Cynog's Churchyard Yew, Powys

The tree in question is a yew, precisely positioned north of St Cynog's Church in Defynnog.

Its age remains a debated topic, with initial claims suggesting that it has lived for over 3,000 years, while J. Fry's 'The God Tree' (2012) extends this estimation to a whopping 5,000 years (like we said, over 3,000 years).

This yew's impressive stature includes nine stems growing from its 11-meter (36 feet) circumference base, situated on an 8-meter wide and 1-meter high mound.

This Defynnog Yew is the larger of a pair, with DNA evidence indicating that it shares identical genetic material with a smaller yew tree located to its west. However, the 5-meter distance between the two contradicts the initial belief that they were fragments of a single prehistoric yew. Instead, it's likely that the smaller yew layered and grew from the larger, a common occurrence when yew branches touch the ground. This intriguing process often results in each layered branch thriving as individual trees, even when there's no longer any apparent connection to their parent.

Crowhurst Yew, Surrey

The tree in question is a Yew, specifically the Crowhurst Yew. This long-standing St George's Churchyard resident in Crowhurst, Surrey, England, is estimated to be around 4,000 years old.

Its size is remarkable, with girth measurements taken in 2013 revealing it to be 32 feet 11 inches (10.03 m) at a height of 4 feet (1.2 m). Surviving records from 1630 record the tree's girth as 30 feet (9.1 m), so it's put on almost three feet around the waist!

The Crowhurst Yew is a male tree.

Its distinguishing feature is a hollow interior that's been dressed with a 4-foot high door. The hollow was created in 1820, revealing a curious historical artefact - a cannonball embedded in its side. This relic is believed to be from a local skirmish during the English Civil War (fought from 1642 – 1651). At one point, the yew's hollow was even used as a meeting place by the Parish Council.

The Llangernyw Yew, Conwy

The Llangernyw Yew, renowned for its age and size, is a monumental tree nestled within the serene landscapes of North Wales.

This yew tree, rooted in the heart of the charming village of Llangernyw, Conwy, boasts an impressive girth of 10.75 metres (35.3 ft). Despite the tree's segmented nature and loss of its core, it stands resilient, showcasing several enormous offshoots.

The tree's age is a remarkable testament to its endurance. While accurately determining the age of yew trees is a challenge, a certificate exhibited at the churchyard entrance, signed by David Bellamy as part of the 2002 Yew Tree Campaign, estimates the tree to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.

Sadly, the fact that Llangernyw Yew is an ancient tree was missed when an oil tank was installed between the tree's two trunk segments. The oil tank was relocated after the inevitable "Did we really install an oil tank in a celebrated tree that's more than 4,000 years old?" moment. This event, unfortunately, led to the removal of much of the dead wood from the site, further complicating the task when dendrochronologists came to date the tree.

The Fortingall Yew, Perthshire

The Fortingall Yew, located in the serene churchyard of Fortingall village in Perthshire, Scotland, is an ancient specimen of the European yew species.

Recognised by Forestry and Land Scotland as being around 5,000 years old, it is one of the oldest known trees on the European continent - an area covering 3,930,000 sq mi, which is a lot of space for a lot of trees, and Fortingall is up there amongst the oldest!

The tree once boasted a tremendous trunk, measuring 52 feet or 16 metres in girth, as recorded in 1769. Over time, this trunk has split into several sections, creating the illusion of multiple smaller trees, and the loss of heartwood rings makes it challenging to determine its exact age.

Despite these changes, the Fortingall Yew remains in good health and holds the potential to thrive for many more centuries.

Past records from 1833 note that large segments of the tree were detached, and even chunks of the trunk were taken to craft drinking cups and other novelty items.

Fortingall has an intriguing connection to a seminal figure in history. Local lore asserts that Pontius Pilate, the official who oversaw the trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion, was born in the shade of the Fortingall Yew and spent his childhood playing around it!