THE HAWTHORN. 



223 



age confers upon such objects. Whether by ac- 

 cident or otherwise, we know not, but it appears 

 to have lost several boughs of late years, so that 

 it is not nearly of such a large size, as a spreading 

 tree, as it was even ten years ago. The boys of 

 the village, too, are in the habit of going a-May- 

 ing to the ^ Old Thorn,' and robbing it of large 

 bunches of spray every season, a practice which, 

 as to this particular tree, should be at once dis- 

 continued. It appears that Mr. Marsham, in a 

 communication to the Bath Society, nearly a 

 century since, noticed this Thorn as a remark- 

 able tree, and stated its measurement at four 

 feet from the ground to be nine feet one inch ; re- 

 marking also, that one of its arms extended above 

 seven yards. Whatever then may be the correct 

 age of this tree, it is unquestionably the most 

 interesting specimen in the east of England, and 

 fairly entitled, we think, to rank amongst the 

 most celebrated in our country." 



Through the kindness of the Rev. J. H. 

 Steward, I am enabled to give the following ad- 

 ditional particulars respecting the present state 

 of the tree. 



The present proprietor of the field in which 

 the Thorn stands (who purchased the property of 

 the present Sir Thomas Beevor) is an antiquary, 

 and I have no doubt has ascertained all that can 

 be ascertained of the traditionary history of the 

 tree. In Mr. Grigor's book there is an etching, 

 which gives very nearly the present appearance 

 of the Thorn. I have to-day had the tree mea- 

 sured, and at four feet from the ground, its girth 

 is twelve feet five inches ; this excess over the 

 girth given in Loudon appears to have been occa- 



