The apple tree which English scientist Sir Isaac Newton was sitting under in 1666 when an apple fell off and supposedly hit him on the head, which inspired him to develop his theory of gravity, has had a protective barrier placed around it.
The 400-year-old Flower of Kent in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor, where Newton was born on 4th January 1643, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, has had the barrier placed around it after tens of thousands of visitors damaged its roots.
The famous tree was partially blown down in a storm in 1820 but caused a sensation across Britain when it regrew from the remaining roots.
It attracts 33,000 visitors a year and, as they have been trampling past, they have compacted the nearby soil causing damage to the root systems.
Conservationists have now installed a woven willow barrier around the tree to prevent people trampling the earth, climbing it, or causing direct damage to the bark.
Ann Moynihan, support officer at the National Trust property of Woolsthorpe manor, said today that the work will protect the tree 'for the future'.
The 1666 incident of an apple falling off the tree, clonking Newton on the head and then giving him a sudden brainwave regarding gravity is just a legend. An apple DID fall off the tree in 1666 but Newton merely observed it falling to the ground and there was no eureka moment. He realised if an apple falls from a tree then gravity may extend even further - possibly even into space.
Isaac Newton's apple tree has protective barrier placed around it after visitors damage its roots
By Daily Mail Reporter
11th May 2011
Daily Mail
The apple tree which inspired Sir Isaac Newton to develop his theory of gravity is being protected after tens of thousands of visitors damaged its roots.
The 400-year-old Flower of Kent apple tree has had a protective barrier fitted in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire.
Newton formulated his theory while sitting under the tree in the garden of his family home and 33,000 tourists visit the site every year.
Safety barrier: A new willow barrier has been put up around the most famous tree in science - the apple tree which inspired Newton's theory of gravity
Famous physicist: Sir Isaac Newton was inspired by the apple tree at Woolsthorpe Manor
But as they trample past, they have compacted the nearby soil causing damage to the root systems.
Conservationists have now installed a woven willow barrier around the tree to prevent people trampling the earth, climbing it, or causing direct damage to the bark.
Ann Moynihan, support officer at the National Trust property of Woolsthorpe manor, said today that the work will protect the tree 'for the future'.
The tree is in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, where Newton was born in 1643. The manor is looked after by the National Trust.
She said: 'Over hundreds of years, visiting the famous tree has become a bit of a pilgrimage for people interested in Sir Isaac Newton.
'We now have over 33,000 visitors every year and we are concerned that all the photo taking and footsteps could harm the tree.
'It's been dendrodated [using tree rings to measure age] to over 400 years old but the sheer volume of visitors has compacted the earth around the trunk and affected the roots.
'The willow barrier is an unobtrusive way to protect the tree for future generations to enjoy in the years to come.'
Newton was born at the 17th-century Woolsthorpe manor on January 4, 1643, three months after the death of his father who was a prosperous farmer.
After studying at Cambridge University for several years, Newton returned to stay with his mother Hannah Ayscough at the family home.
John Conduitt, Newton's assistant at the Royal Mint and husband of Newton's niece, described the eureka moment when his friend came up with his theory of gravity.
Conduitt wrote: 'In the year 1666 he [Newton] retired again from Cambridge to his mother in Lincolnshire.
'Whilst he was pensively meandering in a garden it came into his thought that the power of gravity (which brought an apple from a tree to the ground) was not limited to a certain distance from earth, but that this power must extend much further than was usually thought.
'Why not as high as the Moon said he to himself & if so, that must influence her motion & perhaps retain her in her orbit, whereupon he fell a-calculating what would be the effect of that supposition.'
The famous tree was partially blown down in a storm in 1820 but caused a sensation across Britain when it regrew from the remaining roots.
The sheer volume of visitors has compacted the ground around the tree so much that water and nutrients have been prevented from reaching the roots.
The barrier, constructed by Richard and Suzanne Kerwood from Windrush Willow, in Exeter, Devon, was installed earlier this month to protect the tree.
The 1ft-tall barrier allows visitors to get close to the tree without causing unnecessary damage to its root system.
National Trust conservation manager Margaret Winn said: 'The tree is getting on for 400 years old and we wanted to protect it.
'We asked Richard and Suzanne Kerwood from Windrush Willow to build a low barrier to protect the tree's roots, and they worked on site while we were open to the public.'
400-year-old tree: A pencil sketch of Newton's apple tree as it was in 1840
THE APPLE DIDN'T FALL ON SIR ISAAC NEWTON
It is a popular misconception that the apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton's head as he sat underneath the tree.
Although Sir Isaac developed his theory after observing the fruit falling, there was no 'eureka' moment.
He realised if an apple falls from a tree then gravity may extend even further - possibly even into space.
He realised that gravity was the force of attraction between two objects and that an object with more mass exerted a greater force or pull.
This meant the giant mass of Earth pulled objects towards it, which was why the apple fell down instead of floating in the air.
He is believed to have developed the theory between 1665 and 1666.
The best physicist of his generation
Sir Isaac Newton's work on universal gravitation and the three laws of motion are some of the most influential scientific theories every developed.
But born prematurely in 1643, the well-known scientist was not expected to survive infancy.
By the age of 26 he had become a professor of maths at Cambridge University before explaining gravity in Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, published in 1687.
Two years later, he became the Cambridge University member of Parliament and was later knighted. He died in 1727 aged 84 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Last year, a piece of the famous apple tree from his family home was sent into space - defying gravity - on Space Shuttle Atlantis, nearly 350 years after he wrote his influential work.
dailymail.co.uk
The 400-year-old Flower of Kent in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor, where Newton was born on 4th January 1643, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, has had the barrier placed around it after tens of thousands of visitors damaged its roots.
The famous tree was partially blown down in a storm in 1820 but caused a sensation across Britain when it regrew from the remaining roots.
It attracts 33,000 visitors a year and, as they have been trampling past, they have compacted the nearby soil causing damage to the root systems.
Conservationists have now installed a woven willow barrier around the tree to prevent people trampling the earth, climbing it, or causing direct damage to the bark.
Ann Moynihan, support officer at the National Trust property of Woolsthorpe manor, said today that the work will protect the tree 'for the future'.
The 1666 incident of an apple falling off the tree, clonking Newton on the head and then giving him a sudden brainwave regarding gravity is just a legend. An apple DID fall off the tree in 1666 but Newton merely observed it falling to the ground and there was no eureka moment. He realised if an apple falls from a tree then gravity may extend even further - possibly even into space.
Isaac Newton's apple tree has protective barrier placed around it after visitors damage its roots
By Daily Mail Reporter
11th May 2011
Daily Mail
The apple tree which inspired Sir Isaac Newton to develop his theory of gravity is being protected after tens of thousands of visitors damaged its roots.
The 400-year-old Flower of Kent apple tree has had a protective barrier fitted in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire.
Newton formulated his theory while sitting under the tree in the garden of his family home and 33,000 tourists visit the site every year.
Safety barrier: A new willow barrier has been put up around the most famous tree in science - the apple tree which inspired Newton's theory of gravity
Famous physicist: Sir Isaac Newton was inspired by the apple tree at Woolsthorpe Manor
But as they trample past, they have compacted the nearby soil causing damage to the root systems.
Conservationists have now installed a woven willow barrier around the tree to prevent people trampling the earth, climbing it, or causing direct damage to the bark.
Ann Moynihan, support officer at the National Trust property of Woolsthorpe manor, said today that the work will protect the tree 'for the future'.
The tree is in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, where Newton was born in 1643. The manor is looked after by the National Trust.
She said: 'Over hundreds of years, visiting the famous tree has become a bit of a pilgrimage for people interested in Sir Isaac Newton.
'We now have over 33,000 visitors every year and we are concerned that all the photo taking and footsteps could harm the tree.
'It's been dendrodated [using tree rings to measure age] to over 400 years old but the sheer volume of visitors has compacted the earth around the trunk and affected the roots.
'The willow barrier is an unobtrusive way to protect the tree for future generations to enjoy in the years to come.'
Newton was born at the 17th-century Woolsthorpe manor on January 4, 1643, three months after the death of his father who was a prosperous farmer.
After studying at Cambridge University for several years, Newton returned to stay with his mother Hannah Ayscough at the family home.
John Conduitt, Newton's assistant at the Royal Mint and husband of Newton's niece, described the eureka moment when his friend came up with his theory of gravity.
Conduitt wrote: 'In the year 1666 he [Newton] retired again from Cambridge to his mother in Lincolnshire.
'Whilst he was pensively meandering in a garden it came into his thought that the power of gravity (which brought an apple from a tree to the ground) was not limited to a certain distance from earth, but that this power must extend much further than was usually thought.
'Why not as high as the Moon said he to himself & if so, that must influence her motion & perhaps retain her in her orbit, whereupon he fell a-calculating what would be the effect of that supposition.'
The famous tree was partially blown down in a storm in 1820 but caused a sensation across Britain when it regrew from the remaining roots.
The sheer volume of visitors has compacted the ground around the tree so much that water and nutrients have been prevented from reaching the roots.
The barrier, constructed by Richard and Suzanne Kerwood from Windrush Willow, in Exeter, Devon, was installed earlier this month to protect the tree.
The 1ft-tall barrier allows visitors to get close to the tree without causing unnecessary damage to its root system.
National Trust conservation manager Margaret Winn said: 'The tree is getting on for 400 years old and we wanted to protect it.
'We asked Richard and Suzanne Kerwood from Windrush Willow to build a low barrier to protect the tree's roots, and they worked on site while we were open to the public.'
400-year-old tree: A pencil sketch of Newton's apple tree as it was in 1840
THE APPLE DIDN'T FALL ON SIR ISAAC NEWTON
It is a popular misconception that the apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton's head as he sat underneath the tree.
Although Sir Isaac developed his theory after observing the fruit falling, there was no 'eureka' moment.
He realised if an apple falls from a tree then gravity may extend even further - possibly even into space.
He realised that gravity was the force of attraction between two objects and that an object with more mass exerted a greater force or pull.
This meant the giant mass of Earth pulled objects towards it, which was why the apple fell down instead of floating in the air.
He is believed to have developed the theory between 1665 and 1666.
The best physicist of his generation
Sir Isaac Newton's work on universal gravitation and the three laws of motion are some of the most influential scientific theories every developed.
But born prematurely in 1643, the well-known scientist was not expected to survive infancy.
By the age of 26 he had become a professor of maths at Cambridge University before explaining gravity in Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, published in 1687.
Two years later, he became the Cambridge University member of Parliament and was later knighted. He died in 1727 aged 84 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Last year, a piece of the famous apple tree from his family home was sent into space - defying gravity - on Space Shuttle Atlantis, nearly 350 years after he wrote his influential work.
dailymail.co.uk
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