Tortworth Chestnut 25 years on

Before 2025 was finished, I visited a “remarkable” tree I first saw 25 years ago. I’d originally seen it named on an Ordnance Survey map of the southern Cotswolds. According to the plaque on site, the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is possibly the oldest planted tree in Britain (by the Romans?), and has been estimated to be 1 to 2000 years old. John Evelyn (English writer and diarist) called the tree “venerable” in 1662 and it was possibly one of several recorded chestnuts in Gloucestershire including the Forest of Dean. In the 19^th century Jacob Strutt produced an engraving of it (dated 1826):

When I first saw it I did a sketch. It was significantly more depleted than in the engraving.

And now (photo December 2025) it’s lost some more boughs. But still has character.

For Christmas, my friend bought me Tristan Gooley’s bestselling book “How to read a tree”. I’m halfway through it – it mixes science with practical observation and focuses on the small (“invisible”) features such as leaf shapes, bark patterns, colours, smells and touch, features that you often miss. When I’ve finished it I’ll try some techniques on other “remarkable” trees, and maybe some ordinary ones.

Bob Moore