Cowthorpe Oak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cowthorpe Oak |
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1844 depiction of the oak
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| Location | Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire |
| Date felled | 1950 |
The Cowthorpe Oak was a very old and huge oak tree in Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire, England. It was famous for its age and massive size. The famous artist J. M. W. Turner even sketched it! At its biggest, its branches spread out to cover an area as large as half an acre (about 2,000 square meters).
The tree started to get weaker in the late 1700s. It lost some of its main branches. By 1822, many branches were rotting and needed wooden supports. The Cowthorpe Oak finally fell in 1950. It seems a lightning strike caused its fall.
History of the Mighty Oak
People believed the Cowthorpe Oak was incredibly old. Some thought it dated back to the Norman Conquest in 1066. Others even said it was from early Roman times!
In 1776, a writer named Alexander Hunter described the tree. He said its size was "almost incredible." He also noted that its leaves were thin, so you could see the old branches clearly. He wrote that compared to the Cowthorpe Oak, "all other trees are but children of the forest."
The local St Michael's Church was built close to the tree. A local pub was even named "Ye Old Oak Inn" after it. In the early 1800s, important people like Charles Stourton and Mr. Petre owned the tree. The famous artist J. M. W. Turner visited and drew the amazing oak.
The Oak's Decline and End
The Cowthorpe Oak began to show its age over time. In 1718, one of its main branches fell. This branch was huge, about 2 feet (0.6 meters) thick. It weighed around 5 long tons (5.1 metric tons)!
Between 1773 and 1804, the tree decayed a lot. Another large branch fell in 1794, which worried people living nearby. In 1806, the tree's trunk measured 47 feet (14 meters) around, at 6 feet (1.8 meters) from the ground. By 1822, it was 60 feet (18 meters) around at ground level.
Many of its branches were completely rotten by then. They were held up only by their bark. The longest branch stretched about 48 feet (15 meters) from the trunk. It needed wooden props to keep it from falling. People even said the hollow trunk was big enough to hold 70 people, if children sat on adults' shoulders!
The Cowthorpe Oak was photographed in 1904. It looked healthy, but it had many props supporting it. The tree finally died in 1950. It is believed lightning struck it. At that time, it was thought to be the oldest tree in England. Its remains were removed because it had become unsafe.
Its Legacy Lives On
Even though the Cowthorpe Oak is gone, its story continues. Some of its acorns were sent to New Zealand and planted there. One of these acorns grew into a tree known as the Runciman Oak. It was planted in Drury in the 1870s.
The Runciman Oak is now nearly 5 meters (16 feet) around. It also has many descendants. These new trees are planted in a long line nearby, carrying on the Cowthorpe Oak's amazing legacy.
