<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="22" > Big Oak - The Ancient Giant of Sherwood Forest</h1>
Thanks to the legend of Robin Hood, Sherwood Woods has become one of the most famous places in all of England. It attracts up to 1 million visitors a year, many of whom are looking to capture the magic of some legends. One of the nation's largest oak trees, the Major Oak, is right in the center of the legend, serving as the base for Robin and his happy boy band.
Errol · Flynn played Robin Hood in the classic 1938 film The Adventures of Robin Hood
The earliest records of Robin Hood date back to the 13th century, and by the 16th century it was already famous folklore. Legend has it that this skilled archer and his outlaws stole from the rich and gave it to the poor in and around the Nottingham forest. They hid in sherwood forest and managed to escape the long arm of the law, which was much larger than the nearly 100,000 acres it is today. It also includes a major road from London to York, providing opportunities for many victims.
The history of Sherwood Forest is farther away than any legend. Remains of hunter-gatherers from the ancient Ice Age have been found in the forest, but by the end of the Roman period the area was more common. Many of the towns of nottingham now date back to roman times.
Charming trails in Sherwood Forest
After the Norman invasion in the 11th century, Sherwood Forest became a famous royal hunting ground. This was the period when Robin Hood and his happy men were said to have tracked the forest, but at that time it was far from unknown wilderness. It is a valuable source of games, wood and entertainment.
The great oak tree can also be traced back to this period. The huge Quirkus Rob has a trunk that measures more than 10 meters (35 feet) and is estimated to be between 800 and 1000 years old. The trunk is hollow and has a cavity large enough to accommodate 34 schoolchildren. Exactly how big it was is unknown, but some speculate that the tree is actually several oak trees that fused together over time. Others see it as the result of extreme pollination, a technique used by forest managers to increase the yield of wood from a single tree.
The painting of the main oak tree was by its eponymous Major Heymanluk
The tree takes its name from local historian and archaeologist Major Hayman Luke, who wrote about it in his 1790 book Oaks in Welbeck Park, Nottinghamshire. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the "main" or largest oak tree in Britain, but comes from the "Major's Oak". Prior to this, it was called the "rooster tree" because it was used as a pen for hunting birds and then released into a cockfighting pen. It's easy to see why the name Major Oak became popular so quickly.
Due to its historical and environmental significance, the tree became a popular tourist attraction during the Victorian era. Although the locals have long known about the tree, tourists take the train to Edwin Storway and then take a horse-drawn carriage to the old tree.
The Poles supported the huge branches of ancient oak trees
All of these activities meant that the tree needed to be protected, so the poles were used to support the largest branches and the higher branches of the tree were supported with chains. This worked for some time, but by the 1970s, the tree received hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and their footsteps compacted the soil beneath the canopy of 2 meters (92 feet). Fences were installed to give the tree some breathing space, and later on the surrounding grass it was replaced by a covering to ensure that rainwater reached the roots.
Now, a team of tree surgeons check the tree every season to make sure it's healthy and growing well. The old oak tree remains one of the uk's most popular trees and was named UK Tree of the Year at the inaugural European Tree of the Year Competition.
With such a strong conservation effort, this tree is sure to continue to inspire awe to future generations of visitors. Thanks to john Palmer's efforts, maybe a little longer. He collected acorns from trees and planted a forest of 300 "mini oaks" to continue the tree's legacy. They've been growing for more than 15 years, and if they're lucky, they'll be centuries older than their common ancestors.
Major Oak