Book of the English Oak

[sean]

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Book-Of-English-Oak/dp/B006FMRZ3W]The Book Of The English Oak: Amazon.co.uk: Hurst Charles: Books[/ame]

 

 

 

I love this book....it is truly inspirational and is of its time but also way ahead of the game.....a joy.

 

ts written in 1910 by the industrialist Charles Hurst who dismayed by the devastation caused by Industry on the Trent. He sets off from his home in Stoke on a mission to plant a line of noble Oaks from Manchester to Devon. The acorns he collects from Sherwood Forest. He puts acorns in bottles and throws them in rivers with planting instructions. He makes things up regarding the benefits of an oak to convince people to plant. In the words of Richard Mabey "The book of the English Oak is a remarkable insight into the planting mind and one of the most eccentric and rollicking travelogues written in English"

Hurst ends up travelling the county looking for big Oaks. Within the book are old photo plates of these Oaks. Be good to see which are still there!

The preface written by Hurst....."In this book i have sought to arouse greater interest in the Oak. The tree is dealt with in its many moods and stages and aspects. I have endeavored to show how it lies in the power of every englishman to enrich his country by cultivating the oak and thus perpetuating one of the most distinguished features of an english landscape.

 

In the back of the book is an index of 80 oaks in various forms around the country at the time. Some of these are still with us others were huge ancients on the verge of collapse. Place names and locations are listed. This book is an interesting and important record. I'm wondering where the original records are kept? Would be great to track down the original glass plates if they exist.

[agg221]

Worth looking out for.

 

Should be possible to establish which of the trees are still going through the power of Arbtalk I would have thought. Any of them in my area (North Essex/South Suffolk/Cambs)?

 

Alec

[sean]

Worth looking out for.

 

Should be possible to establish which of the trees are still going through the power of Arbtalk I would have thought. Any of them in my area (North Essex/South Suffolk/Cambs)?

 

Alec

 

Theres the Oak by the pond in Fingringhoe Essex.....used to loiter under that as a teenager

[HCR]

Theres the Oak by the pond in Fingringhoe Essex.....used to loiter under that as a teenager

 

This one? This picture was about 1907, my great great grand parents married there in 1879.

[sean]

This one? This picture was about 1907, my great great grand parents married there in 1879.

 

 

That's fantastic. Yep it's the one. Got up to all sorts under that tree.

[HCR]

I expect they did as well

 

I've never been there, but I was in Colchester at the weekend and didn't quite have time. One day...

[sean]

As far as im aware the tree is still there....will have to check on the Ancient Tree Forum,.....

 

Will start to scan the photo plates from the book and post up.....see how many are still there.

[jamsterraskal]

cheers for the heads up!!! just downloaded it now and so far it looks like a good read pal thanks

[agg221]

As far as im aware the tree is still there....will have to check on the Ancient Tree Forum,.....

 

It was definitely still there in 2009, and looking pretty healthy. I haven't seen this tree personally as it's not that close to me, but if you type "Fingringhoe Hall Pond" into google maps, then switch to streetview and pan round it gives a very good view.

 

Alec

[geoff]

The Fingeringhoe oak is still there & doing fine,it got heavily hacked some years ago,& they planted another to replace it if it failed,it didnt,& is doing fine,I helped remove the one planted as a replacement last summer as it was encroaching onto the main tree,which was deadwooded at the same time. The root system & buttressing is the largest by far I have ever seen,I anyone gets to pass through there it is more than worth a diversion to look at the tree.

Edited February 22, 2013 by geoff