On 5th December I set out to see all the recognised ancient trees of Markstakes Common in one visit. I used AllTrails to capture the route and took a photograph of each tree. There is no obvious ‘best course’ between trees 1 and 34 and in a couple of places I doubled back unnecessarily simply to keep my photographs in order; I’ll have another stab at this shortly so that should anyone have a genuine wish to see the trees for themselves I can do so efficiently (or that can follow the map). That said, all the trees can be ‘done’ in around an hour and thirty minutes, give or take ten minutes or so. Though I visit the woods often, probably once or twice every week throughout the year, it takes until late November or early December to be able to see suitably through the canopy to take in the entire tree.

There are criteria regarding the designations ‘notable’, ‘ancient’ and ‘veteran’ which are provided as a footnote. Since the initial work on Markstakes Common was undertaken in 2011 four of the trees have either come down or suffered significant breakage of a major stem, or standing but dead.

Tree 1 : Ash 3 Stem 302cm @ 1.2m.

Tree 2. Beech Maiden 486cm @ 1.3M

Tree 3. Hornbeam Maiden 233 @ 1.3m.

Tree 4. Beech. Beech 233cm @ 1.33m.

Tree 5. Hornbeam Pollard  400 @ 1.5m 

Tree 6. Beech with Hornbeam companion 356cm @ 1.5m

Tree 7. Beech 2 Stemmed 340cm @ 0.6m 158cm & 246cm  @ 1.5m

Tree 8. Hornbeam 3 Stemmed 340cm @ 0.6m 158cm & 246cm stems at 1.5m

Tree 9. Beech Maiden. 309cm @ 1.5m

Tree 10. Beech 2-Stemmed 613cm @ 0.81cm. Stems 344cm and 214cm @ 1.5m

Tree 11. Beech Pollard 356cm  @ 1.5m

Tree 12. Beech Pollard 356cm @ 1.5m

Tree 13. Oak Pollard 405cm @ 0.96m

Tree 14. Oak 2 Stemmed. 433cm @ 0.65cm. Stems 215cm and 212cm @ 1.5m

Tree 15. Silver Birch.

Tree 16. Beech.

Tree 17. Beech Maiden.

Tree 18. Multi-stemmed.

Tree 19. Beech. Multi-stemmed.

Tree 20. Beech Maiden.

Tree 21. Beech Maiden.

Tree 22. Hornbeam Pollard.

Tree 23. Hornbeam. Fallen surviving.

Tree 24. Ash. Ash Old coppice/laid. 408cm @ 0.5 m. Stems 200cm and 184cm at 1 m

Tree 25. Hornbeam Old coppice/laid. 337cm @ 0.65m

Tree 26. Oak. Old coppice/laid. 460cm @0.3m

Tree 27. Hornbeam. Old coppice. 100cm @1m

Tree 28. Hornbeam. Old Coppice. 3 stems 240cm @0.3m.

Tree 29. Hornbeam. Old Coppice 5-stemmed.

Tree 30. Beech (old coppice ?)

Tree 31. Beech Maiden with companion oak

Tree 32. Hornbeam pollard

Tree 33 Hornbeam pollard

Tree 34. Silver Birch.