Tue Maipen Oaks PLANTATION. 
Proceeding, we are shown the Maiden Oaks Plantation near 
the park-bailiff’s lodge, which we are told is the oldest authenti- 
cated plantation of trees in England. It covers about 13 acres, 
and was planted in 1580. In a lecture delivered a few years ago, 
by Mr William Menzies, son of the late Mr William Menzies, 
Deputy-Surveyor of Windsor Forest and Parks, the origin of this 
historic plantation is thus put on record :— 
‘The anxiety of Queen Elizabeth as regards timber has been attributed to 
the dread of the Spanish Armada, and to the idea that the destruction of the 
Forest of Dean was part of the mission of that fleet. When the Spanish 
Armada was wrecked, in one of the ships stranded on the coast of Devon, 
was found a paper of instructions to the Admiral, telling him above all things 
to cut down and destroy the Forest of Dean, so that the navy of England 
might be effectually crippled. This paper fell into Lord Burleigh’s hands, 
and alarmed him and the whole nation. Among the projects submitted to 
him for providing timber for the navy in some inland locality which could 
not be so easily reached by an enemy as Dean Forest, was a scheme to form 
an enclosure or plantation in Cranbourne Chase, and to sow it with acorns as 
an experiment. Lord Burleigh stretched his powers so far as to get this 
done. . . . The plantation here referred to is the large area of Maiden 
Oaks, stretching from the back of the park-bailiff’s house and premises in the 
direction of Cranbourne, and the corner tree of the wood, which was sown in 
1580, is the true progenitor both of the modern Royal woodlands of England, 
and also the system of rearing oaks where they had never previously existed.” 
The facts stated are inscribed on a metal pillar, standing at 
the foot of the “ progenitor ” tree ; a capital method in vogue at 
Windsor of indicating the events and incidents connected with trees 
and plantations, which with advantage might be more generally 
adopted. Painted white, the pillars are easily foufd in the thickest 
plantations, and for durability they cannot be excelled. A dash 
was made into the plantation by a few of the enthusiasts of the 
party, who, after scrambling through the rich undergrowth of tall 
fern and tangled brushwood, reached what appeared to be the 
largest tree in the wood. The tape was applied, and its fine stem 
was found to girth 15 feet 7 inches at 5 feet up. The average of 
the oaks had straight clean stems, with a girth of between 8 and 9 
feet, at the usual height of measurement, 5 feet from the ground, 
which is always understood when no height is stated. On our 
way to Cranbourne Chase, some grand old specimens of pollarded 
oaks were seen in the park, in which herds of fallow deer were 
quietly browsing on the barest and brownest of pasture. 
