The 5 Longest Living Trees in the UK   

There are numerous old trees in the UK and the oldest among them are considered to be national treasures. Most of these ancient trees have witnessed various historical events over the centuries, and they continue to do so as they are still standing proudly as ever today.

1. The Yew of Ankerwycke

There are numerous old yew trees in the UK but none of them has seen more than 2000 years of significant events in the history of Great Britain than the 9.44 meter wide yew tree located in the former priory of Ankerwycke in Berkshire. History has it that in 1215, this is where King John signed the Magna Carta. It was also in this spot where Henry VIII was rumored to have met Anne Boleyn for the first time. Yew trees are deemed by Celts as holy trees and made them symbols of death and resurrection because of their capability to spring to life again.

2. The Woolsthorpe Manor Apple Tree

The Woolsthorpe Manor apple tree is said to have motivated Isaac Newton in formulating the law of gravity. The Woolsthorpe Manor was a family property of the Newton's and the birthplace of Isaac. This ancient apple tree is an exceptional variety of apple trees called Flower of Kent, which are known to generate cooking apples. The tree was knocked down in 1820 but it was able to live on because roots sprouted from its trunks that touched the soil.

3. Plane Tree of Mottisfont Abbey

National and city parks include many remarkable plane trees but none of them comes close to the size and age of this giant plane tree which is situated in the property of an Augustinian priory in the 12th century, Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire. This tree is deemed to be the oldest plane tree in the country as evidenced by its massive branches which are spread out over 1,500 square meters of space.

4. Croft Castle Sweet Chestnuts

There is an avenue going to Croft Castle in Herefordshire that is laden with more than 300 ancient trees. The series of pollarded sweet chestnuts stretch for about one kilometer west of the castle. These very old chestnut trees already became part of legends, and stories were told that the seeds from which they were grown came from a sunken Spanish Galleon in 1588. They were planted 4 years later.

5. The Tolpuddle's Sycamore

The pollarded sycamore tree in the village of Tolpuddle is an ancient tree that had seen many meetings of earlier generation of people. It has served as a meeting place to plan, preach and sometimes to have community fun. The story of a Dorset farm laborers group is perhaps the most famous of them all with reference to this ancient tree. They met one day in the 1830s under this sycamore to swear an oath and create the Friendly Society of Agricultural Laborers with the primary purpose of opposing the decrease in their salaries. Their group was later arrested, penalized and deported to Australia. They were later forgiven and their story has helped in motivating other groups to form what we know today as trade unions.

We probably won't cut down a tree this old - probably! But we will cut down your tree because we are tree surgeons in London.

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