The Coates entries proposed for the Cotswold Tree Competition described in Watershed earlier this year are given below. Winners will be announced later in the year with prizes of an undisclosed nature. Details of the competition are still on the village notice board.
Individual tree entries:
Big specimen: the giant Sequoia at Southfield House probably planted about 140 years ago.
Ancient history: the handsome 500 – year – old oak on the site of the abandoned mediaeval ‘plague’ village at Hullasey. It was probably growing while the village was still in use.*
Grand canal oak: the oak alongside the Tunnel House Inn is around 200 years old. It would certainly have been around when the bargees who first worked on the world-class canal of the time were quaffing local cider in front of the fireplace that we still enjoy today.*
Tree project entries:
Trees for future generations: the project for Coates to work with the Bathurst Estate to plant new trees to ‘replace’ the mature trees in the village for the benefit of future generations. The planting of trees to replace dead elms on a field border has been completed, and discussions on possible new planting in the Parish are planned to take place shortly. The idea of individual ‘sponsored’ trees to commemorate family events will be explored.
Celebrating trees: the ‘Tree of the Month’ items in Watershed aim to put the spotlight on individual trees in the Parish, and hopefully to inspire interest in trees. Part of the project is to build up information on trees in the Parish and compile a ‘tree map’ which will be offered to the Gloucestershire Record Office as a historical document.
* Subject to Lord Apsley’s agreement since they are on Estate land.
Geoff Moore (voluntary tree warden)
