The recent storms have caused chaos and countless damage, and unfortunately many trees have been lost.
Bricklehampton Hall lost a very old veteran Beech, that was very close to the main entrance. Luckily, the only damage was to the lawn. But as it also fell across a car park, and narrowly missed a wall, things could have been very much worse.
Clearing up the damage, and dismantling the remaining trunks was a bittersweet experience for me. I grew up just around the corner, and fondly remember playing in its shadow on the long, hot summer days.
The rot throughout the tree was so extensive, not only in the lower main union, but also much higher in one of the other trunks, it’s a small wonder that had stood for as long as it did.
The silver lining to this stormy cloud is that some of the lower wood is spalted, and may make an excellent bowl or two, in the hands of a skilled wood turner.
A passion for trees... 