112 



THE OAK TREE IN ESSEX. 



Fii;. 27. — Oak near Dairy Farm, Mistley Park. 



105I feet in diameter, with a trunk 17 feet in circumference three 

 feet from the ground. There are also several venerable pollards, 

 some with boles measuring as much as 22 and 23 feet in cir- 

 cumference. 



Prittleivell Oak. — Mr. H. W. King, in his annotated edition 

 of Morant's " Essex," writes : — 





Fig. 28. — Oak at Fingringhoe. 



" Oak tree standing on Colman's Farm, Prittlewell, the bound- 

 ary between that parish and Eastwood, girtj middle of trunk 

 20 feet 6 inches, near the base 24 feet. Sketched 24th May, 1869. 

 This tree still lives." 



Dedham and Laivford Oaks. — At Fingringhoe (fig. 28) is an oak 

 with trunk having a girth of 1 7 feet at narrowest circumference. The 

 tree is remarkable, not only for its picturesque surroundings, but also 

 from the fact that the earth has been worn away from its roots, 

 leaving them exposed, thus affording the village children the facilities 

 they love for breaking their knees in climbing over something. In a 



