Common Oak 327 



Strutt's Oaks 



Strutt in Sylva Britannica, published in 1822, figured no less than twenty-one 

 oak trees, and as I have seen a good many of these myself, it may be interesting to 

 notice their present condition after a lapse of over eighty years. 



Plate I. The Swilcar lawn Oak in Needwood Forest was then supposed to be 

 about 600 years old, and was 21 feet \\ inches at 6 feet, having increased 2 feet 

 4 inches in 54 years. When I saw it in 1904 it was about 25 feet in girth, but 

 nearly dead at the top. 



Plate 2. The Beggar's Oak in Bagot's Park, fully described above. It measured 

 in 1822, 20 feet ; in 1904, 24 feet i inch. 



Plate 3. The Great Oak at Fredville was in 1822, at 8 feet from the ground, 

 more than 28 feet in girth, and contained above 1400 feet of timber. Now, I am 

 informed by the Rev. S. Sargent, who sends me a photograph, showing that it is in 

 good health, it measures at 3 feet, which seems to be about its smallest girth, 33 feet 

 6 inches. 



Plate 4. The Panshanger Oak, near Earl Cowper's house in Herts, seemed 

 to Strutt to have scarcely reached its prime, though his plate shows that the 

 spire was already dead. It measured in 1822, 19 feet at a yard from the ground, and 

 was supposed to contain 1000 feet of timber. When I saw it in 1905 the topmost 

 limbs were dead or dying, and there was a large rift in the trunk on one side. The 

 girth was 21 feet 4 inches at 5 feet. 



Plate 9. The Salcey Forest Oak was a mere wreck in 1822. I know not if it 

 still exists. 



Plate 10. The Abbot's Oak at Woburn Abbey was never a very large tree, but 

 if it is the same that I saw in 1905 it remains sound. 



Plate 1 1. The Chandos Oak at Michendon House, Southgate, was also not a first- 

 class oak, though a very handsome one. It was then only 60 feet by 15 feet 9 inches. 

 Henry's measurements in 1904 were 80 feet in height and 18 feet in girth, with a 

 spread of branches 143 feet in diameter. 



Plate 12. The oak called Beauty at Fredville, not a first-class tree among great 

 oaks and figured with a dead top, measured only 16 feet in girth. 



Plate 17. The Shelton Oak near Shrewsbury I have not seen. It was a 

 hollow tree of great age, 26 feet in girth, in 1822, and I am told that it is now 

 a mere wreck. 



Plate 18. The Bounds Park Oak, near Tonbridge Wells, was a tree in perfect 

 health and vigour when figured by Strutt, and measured 69 feet by 17 feet 9 inches at 

 12 feet. It is still standing, and as I am informed by Mr. H. J. Wood, has not 

 much changed in appearance. 



Plate 19. The Moccas Park Oak was much decayed in 1822, when it measured 

 36 feet in girth ; it still survives, but is fast going to ruin. 



Plate 20. The Wotton Oak was never a first-class tree, judging from the plate, 

 and I do not know what is its present condition. 



Plate 25. The Cowthorpe Oak has been already discussed. 



