The Story of the Oaks
History of the trees
Although the exact date the North Lawn oaks were planted is uncertain, our timber experts think that they are around 450 years old, which would mean they were planted by members of the Innes family who owned the estate at that time.
In the 1570s:
- Elizabeth I sat on the English throne.
- King James VI ruled Scotland, following the abdication of Mary Queen of Scots.
- Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, on an expedition to the Pacific coast of America, and claimed New Albion, on the Californian coast, for England.
Skip forward a few centuries to 1890 and the American heiress Florence Garner, who married Sir William Gordon Cumming, 4th Baronet. She ordered that clay be spread over the marshy field to the front of Gordonstoun House, so that she could create the north lawn cricket pitch, over which the Gordonstoun oaks stood guard for 130 years, and which is still in use today.
The felling of the trees
In 2017 and 2018, the trees were surveyed and acoustic decay mapping exercises and tomograms completed. One tree had a basal cavity and there was a high probability of extensive decay.
The other tree had structural issues and a fungus infestation.
We took the difficult decision to fell them and in October half term 2018 it took Forres Tree Services five days to take them down. It was a sombre experience for the staff who witnessed it, but a real feat of skill to watch Alex and his team at work.
You can watch a time-lapse video of the process here…