File:Essex naturalist- being the journal of the Essex Field Club (1887) (14598537167).jpg

Identifier: essexnaturalistb08esse (find matches)
Title: Essex naturalist: being the journal of the Essex Field Club
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Essex Field Club
Subjects:
Publisher: Buckhurst Hill, Essex, The Club
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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e ruggedne;S of its trunk. In a county which a few centuries ago was half forest, and inwhich the soil and climate are admirably suited to the growth of theoak tree, we might expect some fine specimens, and indeed, theinquiry I have made would show that Essex is by no meansdeficient in this respect. 3 General view of the Agriculture of the County of Essex, etc. Two. volumes. 1807. THE OAK TREE IN ESSEX. 93 The Hempstead Oak.—I think that the great Hempstead Oakdeserves the foremost place amongst Essex trees. This tree,as will be seen by the list of finest trees in Great Britain in Loudons Arboretum, in the circumference of its bole wasthe third largest tree in England. This o^k might even dateback almost to prehistoric times. Under its branches Sixcmshave possibly met to transact their business, and in more recenttimes ■ under this old tree may have often wandered thatnotorious highwayman, Dick Turpin ; he was born in theparish of Hempstead, in a house near the church known as the
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SRU JAtiflt The great Oak at HEMSTEAD.Eficx Fig. I.—(From The Gentlemans Magazuu^ 1802). Crown Inn. In the Church Register, the event is recordedthus:—A.D. 1705, September 21st, Ricardus filius Johannis et Maria,Turpin. Dr. Harvey, the discoverer or demonstrator of the circula-ition of the blood, possibly also may have rested beneath the boughsof this tree. He is buried in the parish church of Hempstead. Arthur Young (op. cit. pt. ii. p. 149.) refers to the HempsteadOaks as follows :— At Hempstead I viewed two immense oaks, oneof which is apparently of very great antiquity, they are unfortunatelyboth pollards, but the size such as must astonish the spectator. AnEssex Directory (1848) states that — Arthur Young mentions twoimmense pollarded oaks in a field near Great Dawkins Farm House 94 THE OAK TREE IN ESSEX. at Hempstead, but that only one was then standing which was muchmutilated and decayed. This venerable tree was supposed to be athousand years old, and was formerly 99 fe

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