10 THE RAVEN TREE. 



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 l . Twenty such 

 trees did a purveyor find in this little wood, with 

 this advantage, that many of them answered the 

 description at sixty feet. These trees were sold 

 for 207. apiece. 



In the centre of this grove there stood an oak, 

 which, though shapely and tall on the whole, bulged 

 out into a large excrescence about the middle of 

 the stem. On this a pair of ravens had fixed their 

 residence for such a series of years, that the oak 

 was distinguished by the title of the Raven Tree. 

 Many were the attempts of the neighbouring 

 youths to get at this eyry : the difficulty whetted 

 their inclinations, and each w r as ambitious of 

 surmounting the arduous task. But when they 

 arrived at the swelling, it jutted out so in their 

 -way, and was so far beyond their grasp, that the 

 most daring lads were awed, and acknowledged 

 the undertaking to be too hazardous. So the 

 ravens built on, nest upon nest, in perfect security, 

 till the fatal day arrived in which the wood was 

 to be levelled. It was in the month of February, 

 when those birds usually sit. The saw was applied 

 to the butt, the wedges were inserted into the 

 opening, the woods echoed to the heavy blows of 



1 Dr. Plot mentions a table of one solid plank, of above TO 

 feet long, and a yard broad through the whole length, to be 

 seen in Dudley Castle hall, in the park of which the oak 

 grew. Nat. Hist, of Staffordshire. W. J. 



