10 of the best
1. BEWDLEY SWEET CHESTNUT,
WORCS Set in the grounds of Kateshill House, this has a girth of more than 33ft at its widest point, and it spreads over a quarter of an acre. 2. CAGE POLLARD BEECH, BUCKS The hollow tree has a 16ft girth and is found at Burnham Beeches, Farnham Common. 3. MAJOR OAK, NOTTS Legend has it Robin Hood sheltered
here. Said to be up to 1,000 years old, it can produce 150,000 acorns a year. 4. ARDMADDY WISHING TREE,
ARGYLL AND BUTE This Hawthorn is said to grant wishes if you embed a coin in the bark. It’s covered in them. 5. SYCAMORE GAP, NORTHUM Framed perfectly in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall is this stunning sycamore, featured in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
6. THE ROYAL OAK, SHROPS/ STAFFS BORDER Offspring of the tree where Charles II hid from Parliamentarians in 1651. 7. BOWTHORPE OAK IN BOURNE, LINCS England’s most ancient oak, at least 1,000 years old. 8. ANKERWYCKE YEW, WRAYSBURY, BERKS Believed to have witnessed the signing of Magna Carta in 1215. 9. DARLEY OAK, DARLEYFORD, CORNWALL 1,000-year-old tree said to make wishes come true. 10. ST CYNOG’S YEW, DEFYNNOG Set in the Welsh church yard, it is said to be over 5,000 years old. Tests show it could be the oldest tree in Europe.