A Jubilee sweet chestnut for Elmdon Park
From Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities on 15 June 2012
As part of the ongoing celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, a sweet chestnut tree has been planted in Elmdon Park, Solihull.
Glendale Countryside Ltd has donated the tree to compliment an existing ancient sweet chestnut tree, which stands atop of the hill overlooking the park – at about 120 metres above sea level.
Residents and visitors to the park will be familiar with the sweet chestnut, which stands near to the site of the now-demolished Elmdon Hall manor house and is believed to be around five hundred years old. It received its first mention in historical records as early as 1518, and has been safeguarded by Solihull Council ever since it purchased the park in 1944.
After noticing that the historic tree had decaying wood in its crown and hollowing branches and trunk, Glendale stepped forward to provide a new tree.
The new sweet chestnut will stand not just in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee but also to mark a partnership spanning over twenty years between Glendale and Solihull Council.
The donated sweet chestnut tree was planted by Glendale’s Arbor team alongside Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, and the Council's Forestry Officers.
Councillor Mrs Holl-Allen said: “It’s a very fine specimen which we hope will grow to be as beautiful as its predecessor. The tree will serve as a lasting reminder of this unique year, and there is no better place for it to stand than in Elmdon Park, which is steeped in history and enjoyed greatly by the borough’s residents.”
“The veteran sweet chestnut is sadly beginning to fade,“ explained David Hughes, Area Manager for Glendale’s Solihull-based Arbor team. “We hope the younger tree will stand for another 500 years continuing the legacy and preserving what remains of the grand Elmdon estate for future generations.”
Glendale’s Arbor team used a small digger to create a pit to house the tree’s root ball, and an underground anchoring system was put in place to stabilize the tree while it establishes itself in its new environment. The anchoring system was used as an alternative to stakes or overhead guying as it is more aesthetically pleasing in the park environment. An irrigation system will also be installed within the tree to provide it with much needed water and nutrients.
The semi-mature tree has a stem girth of 16-18 centimetres and stands at approximately four metres tall, whilst its older relative has a girth of nearly seven metres and is around 15 metres tall.
Probably introduced to Britain during the Roman period, the Sweet Chestnut, or Castanea sativa, is famed for its durability and longevity, as well as the delicious chestnuts that it produces. The oldest Sweet Chestnut in the world, the Hundred Horses Chestnut in Sant’Alfio, Sicily, is believed to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old and also holds the record for the greatest tree girth ever, some 57 metres in circumference when measured in 1780, before it split into several large trunks in the ensuing centuries.
Glendale have organised a three year maintenance programme for the Elmdon Park tree to guarantee its success and ensure it is sufficiently prepared to endure, perhaps for as long as the Hundred Horses.
For enquiries from members of the press and media only, please contact Alex Hemming on 0121 704 6136
Email: alex.hemming@solihull.gov.uk