324 The Trees of Great Britain and Ij|;eland 



The sandy and gravelly tracts in Essex have extensive woodlands, in which the 

 oak is the principal timber tree. Sound oak trees with boles measuring from 16 to 

 20 feet in girth are scattered through the county. Oak trees of larger dimensions, 

 many in a more or less decayed condition, have been measured and described 

 by Mr. J. C. Shenstone.' Some of these I visited under his guidance in March 

 1907, and I think the following are worthy of notice : At Thorrington are four 

 trees from 27 to 31 feet in girth, decayed; at Danbury Park two trees of 31 feet 

 in girth, decayed ; at Hatfield Broad Oak the Doodle Oak, 42 feet in girth, decayed ; 

 at Havering-atte-Bower Bedford's Oak, 27 feet in girth, decayed ; in Easton Park 

 the finest tree is 80 feet by 23 feet, sound and vigorous, and there are many old 

 pollards of great size. One of these, covered with burry growths, is 29 feet in girth ; 

 and another, on which the burr is very peculiar from its kidney-shaped lobes, is 33^ 

 feet, of which the burr takes up 14 feet. At Marks Hall, near Coggleshall, the 

 property of T. P. Price, Esq., there are very large sound oaks, as well as some relics 

 of the ancient forest ; the largest, which is perhaps the finest tree of its kind now 

 standing in the county, is 90 feet by 24 feet 3 inches, and though some large branches 

 are gone on one side it seems sound and vigorous. The only very large oak now 

 left in Epping Forest is the Fairmead Oak, 30 feet in girth, and much decayed. At 

 Thorndon Park, the ancient seat of Lord Petre, are many picturesque relics of the 

 ancient forest; and at Wealside House, Brentwood, is an oak 27 feet in circum- 

 ference of bole. 



Mr. E. R. Pratt of Ryston Hall kindly sends me the following account of 

 Ketfs Oak at Ryston, Norfolk. In the year 1547 this tree was the trysting- 

 place of the West Norfolk rebels under the brothers Robert and William Kett. The 

 former and the other " Governors " selected large oak trees under which their Courts 

 sat to administer justice and regulate disorders. The Court in this case did not 

 seem to look upon sheep-stealing as other than a necessary evil, since they left on 

 the tree the following inscription : 



Mr. Prat, your shepe are very fat 

 and we thank you for that 

 we have left you the skinnes. 

 to buy your ladye pinnes 

 and you must thank us for that. 



Dimensions in 1840. In 1906. 



On the ground level, 46 feet 6 inches. 49 feet 6 inches. 



Three feet from the ground, 27 ,, 4 26 6 



Five feet do. 24 3 23 1 1 



P'rom the photograph which accompanied this account it seems that the old tree 

 is still fairly sound and vigorous. In an old map of the seventeenth century Kett's 

 Oak is marked, showing that it was then known as a landmark. 



Other remarkable oaks ifi Norfolk which I have seen are at Merton Hall, the 



I Essex Naturalist, June 1904. 



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