( 143 ) 



king John ; and I have met with other 

 accounts, which place it in the fame honour- 

 able ftation in the reign of king Stephen. 

 How much older it may be, we know not. 

 Confiderably older it probably was : for we 

 rarely make boundary-trees of faplins, and 

 off-fets ; which are liable to a thoufand ac- 

 cidents, and are unable to maintain, with 

 proper dignity, the ftation delegated to them. 



This tree is at prefent in hands, which 



juftly value, and protect it's age. It was 

 barely included within the garden-wall, which 

 bore hard upon it. Lord Ducie has lately 

 re'moved the incumbrance ; and at the fame 

 time applied frefh earth to the roots of the 

 tree, which feems to have inlivened it. So 

 late as in the year 1788 it produced great 

 quantities of chefnuts ; which tho fmall, were 



fweet, and well flavoured. In the great 



chefnut-caufe, mentioned a little above*, 

 between Barrington and Ducarel, this venerable 

 tree was called upon as an evidence ; and gave 

 a very refpe&able teftimony in favour of the 

 chefnuts. 



* See page 64. 



After 



