Oldest/biggest tree in leeds

mourning_belle · Post by **mourning_belle** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 5:53 pm

Just wondering if people had any idea on where the oldest trees in leeds might be? Or failing that, rare/unusual/fateful trees!

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 7:09 pm

The Shire Oak at Headingley.The Shire oak was the meeting place of the local Saxon Wapentake and finally collapsed in May 1941, you dont get much more unusual that this one.taken from Leodis

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 8:06 pm

Are there any big yew trees in Leeds - recall that they can live for a few thousand years.Tried this yew searchhttp://www.ancient-yew.org/searchForm.phpBut none in Leeds

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 8:12 pm

Some pretty big beech trees in Golden Acre park

STICKS · Post by **STICKS** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 8:26 pm

in Cross Gates on Cross Gates Road is a very old Oak its got loads of Burs on it ,just up from the Model shop, also going down the drive to Temple Newsam house some very old Oaks ,and if you take a very good walk round the Harewood Estate are some 200 /300 year old pine trees i hope this helps .

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 9:17 pm

I think we take the simple tree too much for granted. They stand there in their majesty for year on year, more often than no tmeeting their demise at the hands of man.Certainly robust - consider how many reports of fatal collisions of cars with trees we see - and what we usually see are these wonderful natural structures having suffered little more than some damaged bark, nothing compared to the carnage of the vehicles involved.A small oak seedling appeared behind our garden shortly after we moved in 28 years ago. I've watched it grow surviving wind and winter and even now it's only some 15' high. And it will (I hope) still be there to be seen standing proud for many years after I am gone!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Tue 12 Oct, 2010 9:15 am

chameleon wrote: I think we take the simple tree too much for granted. They stand there in their majesty for year on year, more often than no tmeeting their demise at the hands of man.Certainly robust - consider how many reports of fatal collisions of cars with trees we see - and what we usually see are these wonderful natural structures having suffered little more than some damaged bark, nothing compared to the carnage of the vehicles involved.A small oak seedling appeared behind our garden shortly after we moved in 28 years ago. I've watched it grow surviving wind and winter and even now it's only some 15' high. And it will (I hope) still be there to be seen standing proud for many years after I am gone! I sense a bit of tree envy there chameleon?!

mourning_belle · Post by **mourning_belle** » Tue 12 Oct, 2010 10:50 pm

buffaloskinner wrote: The Shire Oak at Headingley.The Shire oak was the meeting place of the local Saxon Wapentake and finally collapsed in May 1941, you dont get much more unusual that this one.taken from Leodis aye i knew of the original oak, i was hoping for existing/living examples i could photograph! But thanks, i love that photo of it, looks like something out of sleepy hollow

mourning_belle · Post by **mourning_belle** » Tue 12 Oct, 2010 10:53 pm

chameleon wrote: I think we take the simple tree too much for granted. They stand there in their majesty for year on year, more often than no tmeeting their demise at the hands of man.Certainly robust - consider how many reports of fatal collisions of cars with trees we see - and what we usually see are these wonderful natural structures having suffered little more than some damaged bark, nothing compared to the carnage of the vehicles involved.A small oak seedling appeared behind our garden shortly after we moved in 28 years ago. I've watched it grow surviving wind and winter and even now it's only some 15' high. And it will (I hope) still be there to be seen standing proud for many years after I am gone! very much in agreement. Especially oaks. I think they are a wonderful point of contemplation, you can draw so much from them as fractal patterns, imagined faces in the bark, the sounds made by wind through the leaves/branches, the rich folklore our country has attached to different species....I am a huge tree fan!

keyholekate · Post by **keyholekate** » Wed 13 Oct, 2010 12:27 am

STICKS wrote: in Cross Gates on Cross Gates Road is a very old Oak its got loads of Burs on it ,just up from the Model shop, also going down the drive to Temple Newsam house some very old Oaks ,and if you take a very good walk round the Harewood Estate are some 200 /300 year old pine trees i hope this helps . That tree has been there since I was a little girl in the 60's! How do you know of it Sticks?