8 The Natural History of Selborne 



measured near eight feet in the diameter. This elm I mention 

 to show to what a bulk planted elms may attain ; as this tree must 

 certainly have been such from its situation. 



In the centre of the village, and near the church, is a square 

 piece of ground surrounded by houses, and vulgarly called " The 

 Plestor." * In the midst of this spot stood, in old times, a vast oak, 

 with a short squat body, and huge horizontal arms extending almost 

 to the extremity of the area. This venerable tree, surrounded with 

 stone steps, and seats above them, was the delight of old and 

 young, and a place of much resort in summer evenings ; where the 

 former sat in grave debate, while the latter frolicked and danced 

 before them. Long might it have stood, had not the amazing 

 tempest in 1 703 2 overturned it at once, to the infinite regret of the 

 inhabitants, and the vicar, who bestowed several pounds in setting 

 it in its place again : but all his care could not avail ; the tree 

 sprouted for a time, then withered and died. This oak I mention 

 to show to what a bulk planted oaks also may arrive : and planted 

 this tree must certainly have been, as will appear from what will be 

 said farther concerning this area, when we enter on the antiquities of 

 Selborne. 



On the Blackmoor estate there is a small wood called Losel's, of 

 a few acres, that was lately furnished with a set of oaks of a peculiar 

 growth and great value ; they were tall and taper like firs, but 

 standing near together had very small heads, only a little brush 

 without any large limbs. About twenty years ago the bridge at the 

 Toy, near Hampton Court, being much decayed, some trees were 

 wanted for the repairs that were fifty feet long without bough, and 

 would measure twelve inches diameter at the little end. Twenty 

 such trees did a purveyor find in this little wood, with this advantage, 



1 That is to say, the play-stow, or playing-place. ED. 2 The great storm 

 of 1703, the only one in Britain which (in historical times) has ever equalled the 

 violence of a tropical hurricane, produced so deep an impression upon the 

 people of the period that it was familiarly spoken of as " the storm " throughout 

 the whole of the eighteenth century. White, who was not born till seventeen 

 years later, speaks of it as a well-known occurrence, both here and elsewhere. 

 Macaulay gives a graphic description of this famous tempest in his essay on 

 Addison. ED. 



