Great Trees of London is a list created by Trees for Cities after the Great Storm of 1987, when the general public were asked to suggest suitable trees. Forty-one were chosen, with a further 20 added in 2008.[1][2] In 2010, Time Out Guides Limited published a book, The Great Trees of London, listing all 61 trees.
List of the trees
Original 41
| Name | Image | Location | Borough | Species | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dorchester Plane | Dorchester Hotel, Mayfair 51.506828°N 0.152099°W | Westminster | London plane | Planted in the early 1930s.[3]: 20 | |
| The Charlton House Mulberry | Charlton House 51.481198°N 0.036359°E | Greenwich | Black mulberry | Planted at the beginning of the 1600s, possibly the oldest in the United Kingdom.[3]: 172[4] | |
| The Fulham Palace Oak | Fulham Palace 51.469566°N 0.214707°W | Hammersmith and Fulham | Holm oak | Oldest holm oak in London,[5][6][7] and perhaps the United Kingdom. Possibly dating from 1495, when the palace was built.[3]: 47[8] | |
| The Bexley Charter Oak | Danson Park 51.454900°N 0.118025°E | Bexley | Pedunculate oak | Well over 200 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 176 In 1937 the Bexley borough charter was signed underneath this tree. It now appears in the coat of arms of the London Borough of Bexley.[7] | |
| The Totteridge Yew | St. Andrew's Church, Totteridge 51.632381°N 0.200558°W | Barnet | Yew | Between 1000 and 2000 years old (as of 2010), London's oldest tree.[8][9][3]: 130 | |
| The Carshalton Plane | Sutton Ecology Centre Grounds, Carshalton 51.365301°N 0.165514°W | Sutton | London plane | About 200 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 192[10] | |
| The Lewisham Dutch Elm | Ladywell Fields 51.450645°N 0.024501°W | Lewisham | European white elm[11] | A plaque in the park incorrectly identifies it[8] as a Flanders elm.[12] | |
| The Riverside Plane | Richmond 51.456465°N 0.304728°W | Richmond upon Thames | London plane | At over 40 metres in height, it is one of the tallest London planes in the UK.[8][13] | |
| The Aperfield Cedar | Aperfield Road, Biggin Hill 51.311487°N 0.041172°E | Bromley | Cedar of Lebanon | [13] | |
| The Morden Cemetery Horse Chestnut | Morden Cemetery, Motspur Park 51.391791°N 0.229083°W | Merton | Horse chestnut | This "tree" is actually two trees, about 100 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 180[13] | |
| The Wood Street Horse Chestnut | Wood Street, Walthamstow 51.589258°N 0.004453°W | Waltham Forest | Horse chestnut | Estimated to be 175 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 98 | |
| The Ravenscourt Park Tree of Heaven | Ravenscourt Park 51.496330°N 0.237089°W | Hammersmith and Fulham | Tree of heaven | One of the largest trees of heaven in Britain.[3]: 54 | |
| The Ashcombe Sweet Chestnut | Ashcombe Road, Carshalton 51.359978°N 0.162281°W | Sutton | Sweet chestnut | ||
| The Black Horse Pollard Chestnut | East Sheen 51.461381°N 0.288973°W | Richmond upon Thames | Horse chestnut | ||
| The Maids of Honour Stone Pine | Richmond Green 51.461379°N 0.308673°W | Richmond upon Thames | Stone pine | ||
| The Wembley Elm | Wembley 51.553292°N 0.285526°W | Brent | European white elm | Over 100 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 138 | |
| The Battersea Park Hybrid Strawberry Tree | Battersea Park 51.478312°N 0.155937°W | Wandsworth | Hybrid strawberry tree | Dating from the 1850s.[3]: 148 It lost a major limb, which was hovering over the footpath, in a big storm in February 2022, and the next bough up (still seen in the picture) in September 2023. | |
| The Dulwich Park Oak | Dulwich Park 51.444121°N 0.081079°W | Southwark | Turkey oak | ||
| The Greenwich Spanish Sweet Chestnut | Flower Garden, Greenwich Park 51.476729°N 0.007199°E | Greenwich | Sweet chestnut | Dating from 1660.[8] | |
| The Greenwich Park Shagbark Hickory | Flower Garden, Greenwich Park 51.475428°N 0.005180°E | Greenwich | Shagbark hickory | Largest shagbark hickory in the United Kingdom.[3]: 169 | |
| The Marble Hill Black Walnut | Marble Hill Park, Richmond 51.448576°N 0.310797°W | Richmond upon Thames | Black walnut | ||
| The Roehampton Lucombe Oak | Alton Estate, Roehampton 51.451337°N 0.246961°W | Wandsworth | Lucombe oak | ||
| The North Circular Cork Oak | Hall Lane, Chingford 51.612050°N 0.031423°W | Waltham Forest | Cork oak | Around 100 years old (as of 2010),[3]: 103 although a plaque next to the tree says that it was planted as a sapling by Len Harding in 1959. | |
| The South Woodford Copper Beech | St Mary's Church, South Woodford 51.598157°N 0.020455°E | Redbridge | Copper beech | ||
| The George Green Sweet Chestnut | George Green, Wanstead 51.574819°N 0.028049°E | Redbridge | Sweet chestnut | Probably planted in the early 1700s.[3]: 112 | |
| The Fairlop Oak | Fulwell Cross roundabout, Ilford 51.593694°N 0.085271°E | Redbridge | Pedunculate oak | Planted in 1951 in remembrance of its historical predecessor, which lived for around 500 years until 1820, in nearby Hainault Forest.[3]: 120 | |
| The Bromley Oak | Outside the Glades shopping centre, Bromley 51.403414°N 0.018598°E | Bromley | Pedunculate oak | About 400 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 196 | |
| The Downe Yew | St Mary's Church, Downe 51.335768°N 0.054415°E | Bromley | Yew | ||
| The Barn Elms Plane, 'Barney' | Barn Elms, Barnes 51.474994°N 0.233639°W | Richmond upon Thames | London plane | London's oldest plane tree, planted around 1680.[8][14][15] Visible from outside an enclosure.[3]: 59 | |
| The Friday Hill Plane | Friday Hill House, Chingford 51.623621°N 0.006695°E | Waltham Forest | London Plane | Now on private grounds, but visible from above the boundary wall on Simmons Lane. The tree is probably dating from the building of the house (1839).[3]: 104 | |
| The Valence Park Oak | Valence Park, Becontree 51.558010°N 0.134955°E | Barking & Dagenham | Holm oak | As of October 2022, the pond enclosure is closed to the public for health and safety reasons, but the tree can be visited up close from Valence House grounds. | |
| The West Wickham Oak | Southcroft Avenue, West Wickham 51.372793°N 0.014598°W | Bromley | Pedunculate oak | The tree is in a private garden, but largely visible from surrounding public spaces. It is around 800 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 202 | |
| The Addington Palace Cedar | Addington Palace 51.357289°N 0.040391°W | Croydon | Cedar of Lebanon | Access by arrangement. Planted in the 1770s.[3]: 206 | |
| The Kenley House Oak | Kenley 51.314023°N 0.094367°W (approximate) | Croydon | Pedunculate oak | On private land, hidden from view.[3]: 215 | |
| The St James's Indian Bean Tree | St James' Church, Piccadilly 51.508750°N 0.137007°W | Westminster | Indian bean tree | Tree removed in April 2010.[16] Nativity figures have been carved from its wood, and are used by the church every Christmas.[17] | |
| The Charlton House Nettle Tree | Charlton House 51.480620°N 0.037140°E (approximate) | Greenwich | Hackberry | Tree removed April 2002.[3]: 215 | |
| The York House Cut Leaf Beech | York House, Twickenham 51.446794°N 0.322711°W | Richmond upon Thames | 'Asplenifolia' Beech | Tree removed winter 2020/21.[18] | |
| The Asgill House Copper Beech | Asgill House, Richmond 51.460246°N 0.311855°W | Richmond upon Thames | Copper beech | Died winter 2013/14.[19] | |
| The Crane Park Crack Willow | Crane Park 51.442665°N 0.358306°W | Hounslow | Crack willow | Fallen over[3]: 215 circa 2010. | |
| The Kingston Weeping Silver Lime | Thames river path, Kingston 51.400003°N 0.308936°W | Kingston upon Thames | Silver lime 'Petiolaris' | Tree removed[3]: 214 circa 2008. | |
| The Barnsbury Beech | Barnsbury Park, Barnsbury 51.542847°N 0.110069°W | Islington | Beech | Replaced 2005.[3]: 214 |
20 added in 2008
| Name | Image | Location | Borough | Species | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hendon Japanese Maple | Hendon Park, near the tennis courts 51.582229°N 0.223459°W | Barnet | Japanese maple, Acer palmatum 'Heptalobum'[3]: 134 | Planted in the early 1900s.[3]: 134 | |
| The Brunswick Plane | Brunswick Square Gardens 51.524226°N 0.121852°W | Camden | London plane | ||
| The Cheapside Plane | Cheapside, City of London 51.514431°N 0.094798°W | City of London | London plane | At over 250 years of age, "possibly the oldest tree in The Square Mile".[3]: 37 | |
| The Forty Hall Cedar of Lebanon | Forty Hall, Enfield 51.669391°N 0.067687°W | Enfield | Cedar of Lebanon | Planted around the turn of the 18th century.[3]: 141 Severely damaged 11th August 2024.[20] | |
| The Ravenscourt Plane | Ravenscourt Park 51.496698°N 0.238686°W | Hammersmith and Fulham | London plane | An example of the ‘Baobab’ cultivar of London plane[8] | |
| The Osterley Park Cork Oak | Osterley Park 51.488575°N 0.351411°W, | Hounslow | Cork oak | Planted 1855.[21][3]: 90 | |
| The Amwell Fig | Amwell Street, Pentonville 51.528204°N 0.110047°W | Islington | Fig | This "tree" is actually three trees,[3]: 126 likely in place since 1827.[8][22] | |
| The Brockwell Oak | Brockwell Park 51.448108°N 0.106166°W | Lambeth | Pedunculate oak | Between 500 and 700 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 155[8] | |
| The Tate Plane | Outside Tate Library, Brixton 51.461049°N 0.115331°W | Lambeth | London plane | ||
| The Stratford Fig | Off High Street, Stratford 51.534361°N 0.008000°W | Newham | Fig | ||
| The Valentines Park Maple | Valentines Park, Ilford 51.571527°N 0.072690°E | Redbridge | Field maple | Planted in the 17th century.[3]: 116 | |
| The Richmond Royal Oak | Richmond Park 51.444646°N 0.283504°W | Richmond upon Thames | Pedunculate oak | Around 750 years old (as of 2020).[8][23] | |
| The Carshalton Sweet Chestnut | Carshalton Park, Carshalton 51.360458°N 0.163164°W | Sutton | Sweet chestnut | Around 400 years old (as of 2010). Survived a number of arson attacks, which account for the wooden door blocking the hollow at the bottom of the tree.[3]: 188 | |
| The Marylebone Elm | By the Garden of Rest, Marylebone High Street 51.521886°N 0.151724°W | Westminster | Huntingdon elm | Age estimated to be 150 years (as of 2010), over 100 feet (30 meters) high.[3]: 34 | |
| The Embankment Plane | North side of Horse Guards Avenue, at the junction with Victoria Embankment, SW1 51.504796°N 0.123285°W | Westminster | Oriental plane | Planted in 1870.[8] | |
| The Berkeley Plane | Berkeley Square 51.509465°N 0.145276°W | Westminster | London plane | Planted in 1789.[8][3]: 12 | |
| The Gower Plane | Gower Street 51.522446°N 0.132461°W | Camden | London plane | ||
| The Regent's Plane | Regent's Park, in the grounds of Regent's University London 51.525673°N 0.156342°W | Camden | London plane | Access by arrangement. Around 200 years old (as of 2010).[3]: 38 | |
| The Abbey Plane | Broad Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey 51.498972°N 0.128977°W | Westminster | London plane | Accessible from 8am to 5pm. | |
| The Hardy Ash | Old St Pancras Churchyard 51.535142°N 0.129713°W | Camden | Ash | At just over 250 years of age,[3]: 42 the tree fell in December 2022. This is believed to have been due to fungal damage.[24] |
See also
References
- ^ "The great trees of London". 23 September 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2018. – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Londoners identify 20 new historic trees - Parks & Gardens UK". www.parksandgardens.org. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ The Great Trees of London. Time Out Guides Ltd. 2010. ISBN 978-1-84670-154-2.
- ^ "Morus Londinium - The Charlton House heritage mulberry". moruslondinium.org. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ "Country Life visits Fulham Palace". Countrylife.co.uk. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "The Fulham Palace ancient holm oak". Fulham Palace. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "BBC - The great trees of London". news.bbc.co.uk. 2009-09-23. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- ^ Paul Wood (2020). Great Trees of London Map. Blue Crow Media. ISBN 978-1-912018-76-5.
- ^ "Londonist - Visit London's oldest tree". londonist.com. 2017-05-23. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ "Site Details - Greenspace Information for Greater London". www.gigl.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ "Tree Register of Britain and Ireland". www.treeregister.org. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "The Great Trees of Lewisham". www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "The Great Trees of London". Foursquare. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ "London's best trees". Evening Standard. 2013-05-13. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ "London's oldest plane tree". aranya.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2018.[dead link]
- ^ "St. James Conservation Trust Newsletter". stjamestrust.org.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Winkett, Lucy (2019-02-02). "Why I'm only packing up my Nativity figures today". The Times. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ "Photo of notice of tree removal from Richmond Council". twitter.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "The Tree Company News arboriculturalists". thetreecompany.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ^ "Decay blamed for damage to Forty Hall’s famous ‘Cedar of Lebanon’ tree", Enfield Dispatch, 12 August 2024
- ^ Oliver Smith (22 October 2019), "The Great Trees of London – the city's finest leafy landmarks", Daily Telegraph
- ^ "Common fig in Amwell Street, EC1 in Islington, England, United Kingdom". monumentaltrees.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ "The Royal Oak, Richmond Park". ancienttreeforum.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "The Hardy Tree Of St Pancras Has Fallen". Londonist. 2022-12-28. Retrieved 2022-12-28.