Ancient survivor

This very very long-standing oak is in Staverton Thicks - which is the remains of a medieval deer park on the way out to Orford and a favourite walking area of mine.

When I say long-standing I truly mean long standing.

If an oak tree's trunk measures 24' 9" around, it was planted about 1400 and is over 600 years old. If it measures 26'9", it was planted about 1300 and is a century older.

Six, seven hundred years. It is hardly conceivable.

From my recall of its girth, it is likely that this tree was planted in about 1350. That's just as the Black Death was dying down in England, having killed two million people - at that stage, 40% of the population.

But the tree is still going strong!