Waverley Abbey’s holly tree has been described as ‘spectacular’ A “magnificent” Surrey yew tree, believed to be more than 500 years old, has been named the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year. The tree grows in the grounds of the ruined Waverley Abbey near Farnham. A Portal Tree in Midlothian and a Chestnut Tree in Derbyshire were voted second and third respectively. The competition aims to highlight how important trees are in the fight against climate change, organizers said. Here are the twelve finalists, from first to last:

Waverley Abbey Yew in Surrey

Image copyright Woodland TrustImage caption The holly tree at Waverley Abbey is believed to be around 500 years old Tom Reed from the Woodland Trust said: “It’s great to see that this magnificent tree has been recognized as Tree of the Year 2022 and the way the tree is rooted in the ruins of the abbey is a great symbol of the fact that our ancient trees are intertwined with other aspects of our cultural heritage.” The holly will continue to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year competition. Holly roots are growing in and around the ruins of English heritage site Waverley Abbey – the first Cistercian monastery founded in Britain 900 years ago, the Woodlands Trust said. Dr Michael Carter, senior property historian at English Heritage, added that the tree was a “truly spectacular reminder of time and a very deserving winner of tree of the year”.

The Portal Tree Rowan in Midlothian

Image source: WOODLAND TRUST The tree grows in the ruins of Mavisbank House, one of Scotland’s most important historic houses. The landscaped grounds were developed at a similar time to the house, around 1748.

Layering Horse Chestnut in Derbyshire

Image source: WOODLANDS TRUST The original trunk stands hollow and decaying, while the branches have fallen to the sides. In a process called stratification, roots have grown from the fallen branches, anchoring them to the ground. Eventually, these branches will grow into trees in their own right, all genetically identical to the original parent trunk.

Escley Oak in Herefordshire

Image source: WOODLAND TRUST The ancient oak is hollow, but still dull and rich, despite being at least 400 years old. It stands alone in a meadow along a public footpath, north of Shobdon Barn.

The Rolls of Monmouth Oak in Monmouthshire

Image source, Woodlands Trust The tree is located on the private Rolls of Monmouth golf course, next to the 16th hole – called the Great Oaks because of the presence of several large oaks nearby. This tree is the largest, with a whopping 9.55 meters girth, and is believed to be over 500 years old.

Flitton Oak in Devon

Image source: WOODLAND TRUST The tree is believed to be around 700 years old. Set in a triangular stand of trees where three roads intersect in North Molton, the ancient oak sprawls with eight massive limbs dripping with moss and lichen and is a haven for many species.

Kilbroney Oak in County Down

Image source: WOODLANDS TRUST The natural landscape of the Kilbroney estate is believed to have been the inspiration for the fantasy world in CS Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. This tree is believed to be over 300 years old.

Holly on the Hill in North Yorkshire

Image source: WOODLANDS TRUST As with many old holly trees, the stem is a collection of stems that have fused and grown together over a long period of time. These stems range from two to six meters in diameter.

The Burnbanks Oak in Cumbria

Image source: WOODLAND TRUST The tree is a sessile oak that stood on an island before Haweswater Dam changed the landscape below it in the 1930s. The tree is likely an overgrown spur or a remnant of a Bigfoot oak that has fallen and regrown.

The ’12 Apostles’ Lime in Gloucestershire

Image source: WOODLANDS TRUST Believed to be over 250 years old, the tree stands on the south-east path leading to St James Church in Chipping Campden. This tree is the largest of an avenue of 12 trees planted to represent one of the 12 apostles.

The Langley Park Sweet Chestnut in Montrose

Image source: WOODLANDS TRUST The tree stands proudly atop a mound within the grounds of Langley Park House. The age of the tree is not known, but it is almost certainly as old, if not much older, than the original Georgian house, which dates back to the 18th century.

Hedgerow Hawthorn in Cumbria

Image source: WOODLAND TRUST The twisted tree is part of a small row of hawthorn trees marking the site of a former land boundary, which is a common theme for this specimen. This tree still bears the marks of previous management, with a complex multi-stemmed form that has been allowed to spread since it ceased to be managed as a hedge. Follow BBC South East on Facebookon Twitterand it continues Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]

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