Parliament Oak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament Oak |
|
|---|---|
The Parliament Oak, 2005
|
|
| Location | Near Warsop, Nottinghamshire |
| Coordinates | 53°11′14″N 1°08′23″W / 53.1873°N 1.1398°W |
| Custodian | The Sherwood Forest Trust |
The Parliament Oak is a very old and famous tree in Sherwood Forest. People say that kings like King John and King Edward I once held important meetings, called parliaments, right under its branches!
In the 1800s, the tree was getting old and needed help. A kind duke named William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland had it propped up so it wouldn't fall over. More recently, in 2008, the Parliament Oak got some special care to keep it healthy. It was even nominated for the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year award in 2017!
The Parliament Oak: A Historic Tree
This amazing tree stands about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from a place called King John's Palace at Clipstone. King John often stayed at this palace after he became king in 1199. He loved to hunt in Clipstone Park, which was part of Sherwood Forest.
Clipstone Park was one of England's oldest hunting grounds. It was used for hunting even before the Normans arrived in 1066. The Parliament Oak is believed to be as old as the park itself. It's thought to be around the same age as the famous Major Oak, which is estimated to be 800 to 1000 years old!
Kings and Parliaments Under the Tree
It's said that in 1212, King John was hunting when he heard some bad news. People were rebelling against him in Wales and Northern England. He quickly gathered a meeting, or "parliament," right there under the Parliament Oak. At this meeting, he made important decisions about the revolts.
Other English kings, like Edward I, also visited Clipstone for hunting. Edward I is also said to have held a parliament under the tree on September 29, 1290. He was on his way to Scotland at the time. Historians think this story about Edward I is more likely to be true than the one about King John. It wasn't unusual for parliaments to be held outdoors back then, especially when discussing matters about the royal forests.
Saving the Old Tree
In 1790, someone drew a picture of the Parliament Oak. At that time, it was huge! Its trunk measured about 28 feet 6 inches (8.69 meters) around. By 1843, the tree was on the main road near Ollerton. It was still very big, measuring about 25 feet (7.6 meters) around at 4 feet (1.2 meters) from the ground. It even had a large hollow inside that could fit six men!
The tree was owned by William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland. He was worried the old tree might be dying. So, he ordered a special support structure to be built around it. This framework helped protect the tree from strong winds. He even planted an acorn inside the hollow trunk, hoping a new tree would grow to replace the old one someday.
