of ^ortfoortf), 67 



The presidency of Wolfere, therefore, over the king- 

 dom of Mercia; the noble acts which he achieved in 

 beautifying and enlarging the city of Caer-Glou, and 

 the quiet, unassuming labours of his wife, Eva, were 

 cotemporary with the Chesnut of Tortworth when it 

 first attained its high standing among forest- trees. It 

 may be, that the venerable ruin, whose decaying trunk 

 is still surmounted by a few verdant branches, was 

 looked upon in its day of pride, by Wolfere and Eva. 

 Tortworth was mentioned, in the time of John, as an 

 ancient place, and the tree of which we speak was called 

 the Great Chesnut. It grew within the garden-wall of 

 the old mansion, and we have no reason to believe that 

 the site on which it stood, had been recently reclaimed 

 from the forest. 



