This tree is known as ‘The Majesty Oak’ that forms part of Fredville Park at Nonington, Kent being approximately 100 hectares of parkland and woodland featuring a multitude of ancient trees that includes ‘The Majesty Oak’; one of the largest maiden oak trees in the United Kingdom and is recorded in several locations as the tallest English Oak tree in the UK. ‘The Majesty Oak’ is known to be flourishing since at least 1554 when it was at that time recorded as ‘The Fredville Oak’ when people travelled purposefully to Fredville Park just to see the magnificent oak tree there. The original farmhouse was enlarged in 1750 by the Plumptre family and this enlarged farmhouse was accidentally destroyed by the military in 1945 when a fire broke out but no water was near to hand to extinguish the blaze.
A truly ‘majestic’ tree with breathtaking beauty and a presence that causes tingling all over your body just to stand beneath its embracing boughs.
This is a English Oak, Quercus robur and major branches have broken off in the past, currently one major bifurcated branch has broken off and is imbedded into the ground by its two sub-branches and the other end wedged against the tree trunk approximately three metres above ground level.
The exterior is still solid around but looking into one of the two areas where major branches have fallen off one sees the interior is hollow creating a chimney from near base level to the top.
At another point one can look through where a minor branch has broken off and see up and through the hollow trunk and out the other side. Attached are four current photographs of the tree and one historical photograph copied with permission of the Game Keeper, Mr.
Clarke, who did not know the date it was taken but surmised it was near the turn of last century, approximately 1890 to 1910 and shows ‘The Majesty Oak’ near the then still existing improved farmhouse. Note that there are no other trees in the immediate vicinity at the time of the photograph but today the house no longer exists and the tree is protected by surrounding trees. In todays satellite image you can see the level area immediately to the northeast of ‘The Majesty Oak’ tree where the farmhouse stood.
