There is a tree at Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire that is no ordinary tree.
With a circumference of almost 200yds, it's canopy is the size of London's Royal Albert Hall, where the Last Night of the Proms is held.
The tree has the widest canopy of any tree in Great Britain and Ireland, and may be the widest in Europe.
The tree with the widest unsupported spreading branches in Great Britain and Ireland, that are not touching the ground or layering, is the King Oak at Charleville, Co. Offaly, which at its widest point has a single branch reaching almost 33yds (or 30 metres in dreary artificial measurements).
Yew must be kidding: Amazing tree with a canopy the width of Royal Albert Hall goes into the record books
By David Derbyshire
19th May 2009
Daily Mail
A giant yew with a canopy the size of London's Royal Albert Hall has entered the record books as the widest tree in the UK.
The champion tree, which has engulfed a National Trust garden, has an amazing crown circumference of almost 200 yards.
Tree experts, who discovered the 350-year-old Yew as part of the Woodland Trust's ancient tree hunt, believe it may even be the widest in Europe.
Enlarge
Champion tree: This giant yew has entered the record books as the widest tree in the UK and may even be the broadest in the whole of Europe
The branches of tree, in the grounds of Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, spread out a massive 55 yards wider than its nearest rival.
It has now been recorded in the Tree Register of the British Isles (TROBI) as the largest spreading crown of any tree in Britain and Ireland.
'This remarkable tree has spent most of its life growing naturally sideways rather than upwards,' said David Alderman, from TROBI.
The tree has a canopy the size of London's Royal Albert Hall
'Many of its branches have rooted themselves, providing even more vigour as it has engulfed other trees originally planted 27 yards away.
'As yew can live for 1,000 years or more, if left unchecked, this tree could potentially keep growing ever wider and eventually cover the whole estate!'
Other UK contenders for the title include a layering Horse chestnut at Settrington House, North Yorkshire, with a circumference of 132 yards.
The tree with the widest unsupported spreading branches, that are not touching the ground or layering, is the King Oak at Charleville, Co. Offaly in Ireland, which at its widest point has a single branch reaching almost 33yds (30 metres).
The enormous Shugborough yew would have measured even bigger but has just been clipped back by head gardener Joe Hawkins as it was taking over the entire garden.
'The tree is extremely impressive,' said Fiona Moss, from The Woodland Trust.
'It's extraordinary to look at and so huge it's just like something out of the rainforest.'
The yew tree dates to around 1659 - the year after Oliver Cromwell died and half a century before the current Shugborough Hall was built. It is likely to have sprung up in the grounds a small medieval manor house.
The Hall was built in the 18th century and went on to become home of the Earl of Lichfield. The estate is also famous for the Shepherd's Monument which contains a mysterious code carved in the 18th century. Some people believe the code reveals the hiding place of the Holy Grail.
In February a douglas fir in Argyll was named UK's tallest tree. The fir is 209ft tall - and beat its nearest rival by three feet.
Yews were considered sacred in ancient times and were planted on religious sites. Today they are traditionally found in graveyards.
Some can grow for thousand years. Their bark, seeds and leaves are poisonous.
The oldest tree in Europe is the Fortingall Yew in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland. It is thought to be at least 2,000 years old.
The Ancient Tree Hunt is a project that aims to involve thousands of people in finding and mapping all the fat, old trees across the UK.
It will create a comprehensive living database of ancient trees and is the first step towards cherishing and caring for them.
The Woodland Trust is challenging everyone to take part by finding and recording any ancient or notable trees on the project website at www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk.
dailymail.co.uk
With a circumference of almost 200yds, it's canopy is the size of London's Royal Albert Hall, where the Last Night of the Proms is held.
The tree has the widest canopy of any tree in Great Britain and Ireland, and may be the widest in Europe.
The tree with the widest unsupported spreading branches in Great Britain and Ireland, that are not touching the ground or layering, is the King Oak at Charleville, Co. Offaly, which at its widest point has a single branch reaching almost 33yds (or 30 metres in dreary artificial measurements).
Yew must be kidding: Amazing tree with a canopy the width of Royal Albert Hall goes into the record books
By David Derbyshire
19th May 2009
Daily Mail
A giant yew with a canopy the size of London's Royal Albert Hall has entered the record books as the widest tree in the UK.
The champion tree, which has engulfed a National Trust garden, has an amazing crown circumference of almost 200 yards.
Tree experts, who discovered the 350-year-old Yew as part of the Woodland Trust's ancient tree hunt, believe it may even be the widest in Europe.
Enlarge
Champion tree: This giant yew has entered the record books as the widest tree in the UK and may even be the broadest in the whole of EuropeThe branches of tree, in the grounds of Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, spread out a massive 55 yards wider than its nearest rival.
It has now been recorded in the Tree Register of the British Isles (TROBI) as the largest spreading crown of any tree in Britain and Ireland.
'This remarkable tree has spent most of its life growing naturally sideways rather than upwards,' said David Alderman, from TROBI.
The tree has a canopy the size of London's Royal Albert Hall
'Many of its branches have rooted themselves, providing even more vigour as it has engulfed other trees originally planted 27 yards away.
'As yew can live for 1,000 years or more, if left unchecked, this tree could potentially keep growing ever wider and eventually cover the whole estate!'
Other UK contenders for the title include a layering Horse chestnut at Settrington House, North Yorkshire, with a circumference of 132 yards.
The tree with the widest unsupported spreading branches, that are not touching the ground or layering, is the King Oak at Charleville, Co. Offaly in Ireland, which at its widest point has a single branch reaching almost 33yds (30 metres).
The enormous Shugborough yew would have measured even bigger but has just been clipped back by head gardener Joe Hawkins as it was taking over the entire garden.
'The tree is extremely impressive,' said Fiona Moss, from The Woodland Trust.
'It's extraordinary to look at and so huge it's just like something out of the rainforest.'
The yew tree dates to around 1659 - the year after Oliver Cromwell died and half a century before the current Shugborough Hall was built. It is likely to have sprung up in the grounds a small medieval manor house.
The Hall was built in the 18th century and went on to become home of the Earl of Lichfield. The estate is also famous for the Shepherd's Monument which contains a mysterious code carved in the 18th century. Some people believe the code reveals the hiding place of the Holy Grail.
In February a douglas fir in Argyll was named UK's tallest tree. The fir is 209ft tall - and beat its nearest rival by three feet.
Yews were considered sacred in ancient times and were planted on religious sites. Today they are traditionally found in graveyards.
Some can grow for thousand years. Their bark, seeds and leaves are poisonous.
The oldest tree in Europe is the Fortingall Yew in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland. It is thought to be at least 2,000 years old.
The Ancient Tree Hunt is a project that aims to involve thousands of people in finding and mapping all the fat, old trees across the UK.
It will create a comprehensive living database of ancient trees and is the first step towards cherishing and caring for them.
The Woodland Trust is challenging everyone to take part by finding and recording any ancient or notable trees on the project website at www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk.
dailymail.co.uk
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