The Last of the Oaks of Birnam. 



By D. MlKEXZIE, Fokestek, &c., Mlrthly, PeuthshiiU'. 



BiRXAM has been rendered classic yround by the immortal Shakespeare, 

 and in ancieat times formed part of tlie Royal Forests of Scotland, 

 being then covered witli a vast forest of oak and probably Scots fir. 

 The "last oaks" ure, according to tradition, remnants of this ancient 

 forest, and must, at this date, be close upon one thousand years old. 

 These venerable monarchs are three in number, consisting of two 

 oaks and a plane (sycamore). One oak and the plane are growing close 

 to the river Tay, on the south bank, and immediately behind the 

 Birnam Hotel, and about 800 yards east of Dunkeld Bridge. On 

 account of their remarkable antiquity they are objects of great interest 

 to the numerous tourists and others who frequent this romantic and 

 picturesque neighbourJiood. 



The girth of the oak at 5 ft. from the ground is 18 ft, and that of 

 the plane, which stands 80 ft. west of the oak, is 1 9 ft. 8 in. When 

 the celebrated traveller. Dr. E. D. Clarke, visited Dunkeld early in the 

 present century, he examined and measured these grand old trees, and 

 seems to have been so impressed with their gigantic proportions, and 

 enchanted by their magnificent surroundings, that I cannot do better 

 than quote his remarks : — " To enrich this noble scene, the finest 

 trees are seen flourishing wdth the greatest redundancy. How weak 

 and groundless are the expressions of Johnson respecting Scotland 

 and its timber, where one beholds this luxuriant valley proudly 

 decorated with majestic oaks, sycamores, limes, beeches, maples, and 

 all the glories of the forest ! I measured a single oak close to the 

 ferry, and found it to be 17 ft. in girth ; and near it stood a sycamore 

 of much greater magnitude." It will be seen by these measurements 

 that the oak has only added a foot to its girth in about 70 years. 

 The next oak of interest, which is said to be of the same age, is 

 growing two miles to the south-east of the latter two trees, and is 

 10 ft. 4 in. in girth, with a high and wide spreading head. It is called 

 the "Hangedmen's Tree," and w'as used in olden times by the lords 

 of Murthly for hanging thereon thieves and other offenders against 

 the laws; hence the name. In the year 1091 King Duncan had his 

 camp about half a mile from where this tree stands, and also held 

 courts of justice on a small hill to the south-west of it. Some even 



