Introduction
Trees are part of the landscape of England and are necessary for life.
The Wild Pear
The Wild Pear. (Pyrus pyraster)
- Not to be confused with the common pear (Pyrus communus) which can be seen in many hedgerows.
- Located in 1998 while working on a Public Right of Way in the Parish.
- This tree found in the Parish and confirmed by the Forestry Authority, consultant Dendrologist in 1999 to be a Pyrus pyraster (L) Burgrd. is said to be one of the best specimens he had seen.
- The tree does not exist in Northern England beyond Yorkshire, it is very rare in the Midlands and even in southern areas it is still very rare.
- Our specimen is at least 100 years old, growing in a hedgerow of an ancient green lane, (old highway) now a Public Right of Way.
- It is approx: 18 to 22m high and some 20m broad, it has a split bowl being three in all.
- The tree is in excellent condition
The Native Black Poplar
- Populus nigra betulifolia. Age (approx.) 150 years
- Height 18 to 22m
- Bole 3.3m .
- The tree stands in one of the most historic sites in the Parish, which should be protected for prosperity. The Buckhouse Barn and the Retting Pits are all part of the history of the tree. Parish interest was shown in the tree because of the above history in 1990.
- The Forestry Authority started to show interest in the Black Poplar national situation in 1993 and then the ‘Daily Telegraph’ and the ‘Tree Council’ ran a project called ‘The Black Poplar Hunt’. The tree was declared ‘The most endangered Native Tree in Great Britain’.
- Our tree, was confirmed to be a Native Black Poplar by the Forestry Authority in 1995 and refered to ‘Mr. Edgar Miln-Redhead, for entry in the English Nature, Red Book of rare species.
- After some years the tree was granted a TPO in 1999.
- During a storm in 2003/4 the tree was demolished and now, except for a tall sucker (some 35m high) , lies on the ground.
- The TPO still holds good to the sucker and the rest of the tree, which we hope will grow on. We have since planted about five of these poplars in other parts of the Parish, they are about 10 to 15m high. .
Photographs.(before 2003)
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Distant view of the black poplar
Black poplar
Close up of the trunk of the black poplar
Close up of the bark of the black poplar
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