The Baby Oak Tree

Not got much time today, and need to crack on so after a business like meeting with Mrs Halliwell at the local HSBC, I wandered back with all the business tools needed to get my week going - a litre of milk, newspaper and a Danish Pastry.

The sun was shining on the way back, and so I crossed the road onto the Heath looking for a blipportunity. I popped my goodies onto a commemorative bench, just as I got through on the phone to friend Martin to chat about his weekend and the Bolton and United games. Fine he says, but I'll call you back as I have my arm down my mothers toilet unblocking it at the moment. Too much information, but I agreed to speak later.

As I had been speaking, I got drawn to looking at this plaque on a solitary oak tree near the former fountain (and now planter). I must have walked past it many times before, but had never stopped to read it. I was amazed to see the plaque now encased to one side by the tree growth, as well as the fact the tree had been planted in June 1902 to mark King Edward VII's coronation (with the plaque replacing the original one during the Festival of Britain in 1951). A 110 years anniversary passed and not even mention of it in the local papers in 2012 Jubilee year, as far as I can tell.

I include this as my blip today as I enjoyed the BBC Countryside special on the woods of West Sussex last night. In particular, it followed woodsman Ben Law living in his evocatively named Prickly Nut Wood (Some might remember his eccentric organic self-build house being created as part of Channel 4 Grand Designs). Interesting to note that Ben calculated that a 300-year oak seen in the programme was only approaching young middle age. So this one in Knutsford is still just a baby then.

Photo taken, as I turned around a cheeky Crow was discovered just about to raid my pastry off the bench (well, either that or it was well read, and after my Telegraph). I shoo'ed it off and rescued things just in time. Happy to report, my pecan nut pastry is now safelty tucked away inside as I write.

Postscript: Some information on the tree and plaque here, though interestingly this suggests a new replacement tree might have also have been planted in 1951 making the tree only 61 and not 110 years old. Not sure which view is right, but either way, it is still a baby.