[ 148 ] 
“ there grew a chefnut tree that had fcarce any bark 
“ upon it, but only upon Tome top branches which 
bore leaves; it was not tall, but the bole could 
“ fcarcely be fathomed by three men.” “ There was 
“ (landing, fays Evelyn (in his Syha^ Fol. London, 
“ 1706, p. 223.) an old and decayed chefnut at 
“ Fraiting, in Elfex, whofe very ftump did yield 
“ thirty fizeable loads of logs. 1 could produce you 
“ another of the fame kind in Glouceftcrfhire, which 
“ contains within the bowels of it, a pretty wain- 
“ fcotted room, enlightened with windows, and 
“ furniflied with feats, 6cc.” And to thefe we may 
add two great chefnut trees flourifhing at Tortworth, 
in Gloucefterihirc, and at Writtlepark, in Ellex ; the 
former is allowed, even by Mr. Barrington, “ to be 
“ the oldeft tree that we have any account of, per- 
“ haps in Europe.” (p. 30.) And the following de- 
fcription of both, was publiflied about twelve or 
thirteen years ago {j)'y “ At the feat of the Lord 
“ Dude, at Tortworth, in Gloucederfliire, there is 
now growing an Englidi chefnut, which meafures 
fifty one feet about, at the height of fix feet above 
the ground. This tree divides itfelf, at the crown, 
“ into three limbs, one of which meafures twenty 
“ eight feet and half in the girt, and five feet above 
“ the crown of the tree. The foil is a foft clay, 
“ fomewhat loomy; the fituation is the North Weft 
“ fide of a hill; this tree was filled, in King John’s 
“ time, the great and old chefnut tree at Tortworth ; 
“ fo it is fuppofed to be now above one thoufand 
“ years old.” 
(7) London Magazine, 1758, p. 48a. 
“ There 
