King Oak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids King Oak |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Species | Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) |
| Location | Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Ireland |
| Date seeded | 1200–1600 |
| Custodian | Charleville Estate |
The King Oak is a very old and famous tree. You can find it on the beautiful grounds of Charleville Castle in Tullamore, Ireland. This amazing tree is thought to be between 400 and 800 years old! It comes from the ancient oak forests that used to cover Ireland. The King Oak is huge, with a trunk that measures about 8.29 meters (or 9.07 yards) around. Some of its lower branches stretch out as far as 27.4 meters (or 30 yards)! People have a special story about the tree: they say if a branch falls, someone from the Bury family (who owned the castle for a long time) will pass away. In 1963, the tree was hit by lightning. Soon after, a member of the Bury family died, which some people saw as proof of the story. The King Oak was chosen to represent Ireland in the 2013 European Tree of the Year contest, where it came in third place!
Contents
Discover the King Oak
The King Oak stands proudly on the land around Charleville Castle. You can spot it right near the main entrance to the estate. This special tree is a type of oak called a pedunculate oak. It's also known as a common oak, European oak, or English oak.
How Big is the King Oak?
The King Oak is truly massive! Its trunk measures about 8.29 meters (or 9.07 yards) around. That's like wrapping a measuring tape around a small car! The tree itself stands about 19 meters (or 20.78 yards) tall. Its huge lower branches spread out up to 27.4 meters (or 30 yards) from the main trunk. These branches are so big that they need props to stop them from falling down! The Charleville estate is home to one of the biggest forests of Pedunculate Oak trees in Ireland. It also has a cool plot of yew trees shaped like the Union Flag.
The King Oak's Long History
The King Oak is at least 400 years old, and it might even be as old as 800 years! People were already talking about it as an "old tree" way back in the 1600s. The Irish Wildlife Trust says the King Oak is one of the oldest trees in all of Ireland. Many people believe this tree is a direct descendant of the ancient oak forests that once covered Ireland. Over its long life, the tree has been "pollarded" many times. This means its branches were cut back regularly to collect timber, but in a way that helped the tree grow back stronger.
The Tree's Special Story
The King Oak is often called the most exciting part of the Charleville estate. There's a famous superstition connected to the tree. People say that if one of its branches falls, it means someone from the Bury family will die. The Bury family owned the Charleville estate for a very long time. In 1963, lightning struck the King Oak. This caused its main trunk to split from top to bottom, and at least one branch broke off. Even though the tree was badly damaged, it survived! However, just a few weeks later, Colonel Charles Howard-Bury passed away. He was an explorer and the last member of the Bury family line. Many people saw his death as a sign that the tree's superstition was true.
A European Star
In 2013, a group called Just Forests, which helps protect nature, suggested the King Oak as Ireland's entry for the European Tree of the Year contest. The King Oak made it onto the final list of six trees! In the end, it received almost six thousand votes. This placed it in an impressive third place in the competition.
