Pollarded oak

We are lucky to live near the most extensive area of ancient woodland in England. Some is private while other areas are managed by the RSPB or the Kent Woodland Trust,, Blean Woods, our favourite, portion has glades and rides maintained to provide a habitat for the heath fritillary an unassuming but rare insect, We went further than usual to visit the pollarded oak, a tree of great age pollarded  hundreds years ago, unusually for an oak tree. The pollards were "cut above the head height of browsing animals and were once numerous serving as signposts for the woodsman. This one marks the boundary between three woods, Church Wood, Great Den Lees and Grimshill Wood ".  Thus the Blean leaflet