290 SYLVAN WINTER. 



its age. It was barely included within the garden 

 wall, which bore hard upon it. Lord Ducie has 

 lately removed the incumbrance, and at the same 

 time applied fresh earth to the roots of the tree, 

 which seems to have enlivened it. So late as in 

 the year 1788 it produced great quantities of 

 chestnuts, which, though small, were sweet and 

 well-flavoured. In the great Chestnut cause, 

 mentioned a little above ' (at page 86 of * Forest 

 Scenery '), ' between Barrington and Ducarel, this 

 venerable tree was called upon as an evidence, 

 and gave a very respectable testimony in favour 

 of the Chestnuts.' * This remarkable tree is still 

 alive, though hollow and much decayed, and in a 

 measurement of it, kindly furnished to us by the 

 Rev. C. Greswell, of Tortworth, in 1879, it was 

 found to be forty-nine feet in girth at three feet 

 from the ground, fifty feet at six feet from the 

 ground, eighty-six feet throughfrom north to south, 

 and eighty-eight feet through from east to west. 



One more Chestnut mentioned by Gilpin, and 

 still alive, we must refer to. Gilpin says, 

 'After mentioning this Chestnut, which has 

 * 'Forest Scenery,' pages 188-9. 



