Old Wardour Castle ancient oak tree has 'limbs hacked off'

This is what a Dorset-based artist highlighted after an ancient oak tree near Old Wardour Castle in Tisbury, which is older than the 12th century building it shares the grounds with, had its "limbs hacked off". 

Unlike stone walls, says Gary Cook, the 700-hundred-year-old oak which has survived "at least" 30 generations, was left unprotected and cannot be rebuilt. 

He said: "At the very least, the tree, a full century older than the castle, has been cruelly disfigured.

"The shock to the tree may well have killed it. I can’t see the need for it."

The 57-year-old environmental painter from Shaftesbury visited the ancient tree over multiple years to paint it after discovering it was listed on The Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory.

Around a month ago, he returned for a visit and found to his disbelief that the branches had been dramatically reduced and could be seen strewn at the foot the tree.

Mr Cook shared images with the Journal, which show the tree before and after the reduction.

The artist highlighted that the tree, which is on private land, was left unprotected as a Tree Protection Order, which would have helped to protect the oak from damage, was not in place.

Mr Cook questions why this is not the default option for trees during the climate crisis, and is calling for what he calls "lax laws" to be reformed.

"Even though there have been many recent promises of reforestation, it seems we can't even protect a single nationally important oak," he added.

According to the Woodland Trust, an Oak may live for 1,000 years and are classified as ancient from 400 years onwards, and Mr Cook said: "This one may have had its final phase of life severely compromised by this thoughtless butchery."

The trunk of the tree was last listed as 7.95 metres, the height at 1.5 metres. 

"This means it started life around the same time as Robert the Bruce was fighting the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314," he said. 

"It was 200 years old when Henry VIII married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. 

“The Gunpowder Plot imploded when the tree had marked this spot for 300 years. 

“Its half century anniversary would have been just before the first railway service steamed into action.”

700-year-old Oak tree at Wardour Castle, Tisbury, after 'limbs hacked off'. Photo by Gary Cook

A Wiltshire Council officer examined the tree, after Mr Cook got into contact with the relevant authorities, and agreed that although no offence had been comitted the work could have been carried out differently.

In response to this incident, the land owners have been given the contact of Wessex Wildlife in the hope that the information shared will safeguard other ancient trees on the estate.

Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Development Management Nick Botterill said: "This tree falls on privately-owned land and we have been in contact with the land owners.

"This veteran tree was not protected, so although no offence has been committed and the work was carried out in a way that was believed to be the best approach, we would recommend that the tree should have been reduced more gradually with the work phased over many years, rather than the approach that was taken on this occasion.

"We have put the land owners in touch with Wessex Wildlife, which has agreed to provide advice on future management of veteran and significant trees on the estate, to help ensure that future trees are managed in a way that helps to safeguard them for many years to come."

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