AT the November meeting of the Andover History and Archaeology Society held at the Andover Museum Jill Butler, Ancient Tree Specialist for the Woodland Trust and Ted Green MBE, founder President of Ancient Trees Forum, and Conservation Consultant to the Crown Estate, Windsor, were welcomed.

Speaking first, Jill outlined the history of tree hunting, starting from John Evelyn’s woodland survey for Charles II in 1664. He assessed Britain as ‘full of trees that are hollow’ and therefore of no value for naval purposes.

Most recently and ongoing is the UK Ancient Tree Inventory. The number of ancient trees in the UK is exceptional compared with elsewhere in northern Europe. For our area 17 ancient trees have so far been recorded, 127 veteran trees and 180 notable examples. Jill highlighted the example of the yew in St Mary Bourne churchyard, which has a girth of 6.13m.

Trees have been poorly understood in historical writing and pictures. Pollarding and coppicing were ancient ways of harvesting trees, but now the skills are all but lost. Jill showed that depictions of pollarding are used as separators between the scenes on the Bayeux Tapestry. They point, in her opinion, to its having been worked in Normandy where the pollard was more common, rather than Canterbury. The development of Royal Forests (hunting areas not necessarily densely covered with trees) since Norman times, and their later imparking into deer reservations has greatly contributed to the survival of many ancient specimens. An oak tree, for example, grows for 300 years, stands for 300 and then decays for 300. On the latter period of decay depends much of the total wildlife of the country.

Ted spoke passionately about working trees. Up to recent times, trees had to work for their living, as pollards or coppices, providing both wood for many purposes and animal feed. Boundary trees might be grown on a stream bank or in a wall, as a permanent and immoveable marker. With pictures he had taken around Europe, Ted illustrated how the technology of tree use had developed, taking the bending of branches for building as an example. We made animals eat grass, he pointed out, whereas they used to eat the rich variety of plant found in meadows, and the leaves of trees, both growing and fallen. Holly and ivy were an essential over-wintering animal food. Ted pressed home his argument that our view of trees as landscape virtually ignores their historical value in providing for both human and animal welfare.

Both speakers spoke passionately about the need to find and list the ancient, veteran and notable examples in this area. They believed that there were many more to be recorded by keen local observers. Once listed on the UK Ancient Tree Inventory, a tree can then be protected and conserved.

Jill and Ted were warmly appreciated and thanked for a very informative and enthusiastic presentation.

For further information, see www.ancient-tree-forum.org.uk and the Woodland Trust’s www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk .