Chained Oak facts for kids
The Chained Oak is a famous oak tree near Alton, Staffordshire, England. What makes it special? It's wrapped in chains! This tree is part of a local legend involving an old beggar and the Earl of Shrewsbury. You can find it on a public path next to the Chained Oak B&B. This legend even inspired a ride called Hex – the Legend of the Towers at the nearby Alton Towers theme park.
Contents
The Chained Oak Legend
The legend tells of a night when the Earl of Shrewsbury was returning to his home, Alton Towers. An old woman suddenly appeared in the road. The Earl's coach stopped. The old woman asked him for a coin. But the Earl was unkind and sent her away.
Because of his harshness, the old woman put a curse on him. She said that for every branch that fell from the Old Oak Tree, a member of the Earl’s family would die. The Earl did not believe her and continued his journey home.
That very night, a big storm hit. A single branch from the old oak tree broke off and fell. Later that evening, a member of the Earl’s family suddenly passed away.
Now, the Earl truly believed in the curse. He quickly ordered his servants to chain every branch of the oak tree together. This was to stop any more branches from falling. Even today, the Chained Oak remains wrapped in chains.
Different Versions of the Story
There are a few slightly different versions of this legend. But the main idea of the curse stays the same.
- One version says an old man cursed the Earl, not a woman.
- Another version says a storm did not bring down the branch. Instead, the Earl's son was riding his horse the next day. As he passed the oak tree, a branch fell on him. It knocked him off his horse and he died.
- A third version was made up for the Hex – the Legend of the Towers ride at Alton Towers. In this story, the Earl brought the fallen branch back to his home. He then tried to break the curse by doing experiments in his secret vault.
What Happened to the Branches?
On April 9, 2007, one of the tree's main branches fell off. The Talbot family, who are descendants of the Earl, confirmed that no one died when this branch fell.
Since then, a large part of the Chained Oak has collapsed. People think that one of the chains rusted through. This chain had become a key part of the tree's structure. When it broke, part of the lower side of the tree collapsed.
Who Was the Earl in the Legend?
The legend of the Chained Oak has different dates linked to it. This changes which Earl of Shrewsbury might be the one in the story.
The BBC Stoke and Staffordshire say the legend is from 1821. If this is true, the Earl would be Charles Talbot, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury.
Alton Towers Heritage says the chaining happened "around the 1840s." This would mean the Earl was John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury.
The 16th Earl is known as "Good Earl John." He was famous for his kindness and charity. He helped local schools and churches. He also paid for new Catholic chapels around the Midlands, including in the village of Alton. He even built homes for the poor and elderly there. His good reputation does not seem to match the unkind Earl in the legend.
Why Was the Oak Tree Chained?
The 15th and 16th Earls of Shrewsbury built and expanded Alton Towers and its gardens. During their time, thousands of new trees were planted. But the old trees were very important to them. The Chained Oak was in a very noticeable spot. It was "just off a carriage-way" that the Earls often used.
So, the tree might have been wrapped in chains for a simple reason. It could have been chained just to keep it safe. The chains would prevent it from falling apart under its own weight.
