Suffolk
Helmingham Hall
Helmingham Hall is a magnificent moated manor house in Helmingham, Suffolk, England. It was begun by John Tollemache in 1480 and has been owned by the family ever since. The house is built around a courtyard in typical late medieval-Tudor style. It is accessed by two drawbridges which have been raised every night since 1510. The extensive parkland contains many fabulous old oaks, of considerable size, including many over 6m in girth. We can offer oaklings grown from three ancient oaks all around 8m in girth.
With gratitude to the Tollemache family.
Helmingham - unnamed
Species: Quercus robur (Pedunculate Oak)
Estimated Age (in 2025): 708 years
Form: Pollard - a very stout and deceptively large oak, that no matter which way one photographs it, it doesn't quite seem to capture it's considerable size and girth.
Girth at 1.5m: 8.27m (measured in 2022).
Estimated Year of Birth: 1277 AD
Reigning Monarch at the time: Edward I 'Longshanks'
Story: perhaps our tree was born in the year Longshanks defeated Llywelyn ap Gruffyd, the Prince of Gwynedd in his long-running battles with the Welsh nobility.
Sizes available:
40-100cm, 2 Litre pots (11 available).
Oakling ages: 3-year-oldS (2022 seed).
ID codes: BP 1796.
The Three Sisters
Species: Quercus robur (English or Pedunculate Oak)
Estimated Age (in 2025): 699 years
Form: maiden- a lovely angled maiden oak, one of three trees near the mansion, known as the Three Sisters.
Girth at 1.5m: 7.98m (measured in 2022)
Estimated Year of Birth: 1326 AD
Reigning Monarch at the time: Edward II
History: In 1326, Edward II's wife, Isabella of France, led an invasion against her husband. In 1327 Edward was made to renounce the throne in favour of his son Edward (the first time that an anointed king of England had been dethroned since Ethelred in 1013). He was murdered at Berkeley Castle later in 1327, when our tree may have been celebrating his first birthday party!.
Sizes available:
40-100cm, 2 Litre pots (a good number available).
Oakling ages: 3-year-olds (2022 seed).
ID codes: BP 1795
Constable's Cousin
Species: Quercus robur (English or Pedunculate Oak)
Estimated Age: 686 years.
Form: A stunning oak which we have provisionally named as Constable's Cousin as it grows very near to the oak, sadly now perished. which Constable painted in 1830 as Helmingham's Dell: .
Girth at 1.5m: 7.92m (measured in 2022).
Estimated Year of Birth: 1336AD.
Reigning Monarch at the time: Edward III
Story: It's rather intriguing that, although of course our estimates of the ages of these trees are very approximate, by some calculations the three Helmingham Oaks that we offer oaklings from were perhaps born in the reigns of Edward I, II and III !
Sizes available:
40-100cm, 2 Litre pots (8 available).
Oakling ages: 3-year-old (2022 seed).
ID codes: BP 1800