A History in an old Oak Tree

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History
in an
Old Oak Tree

In circa 1794 an oak tree was planted in the gardens of Felmersham House. This is the story of that tree........
During the storm of January 2007 the oak tree in the grounds of East Grange (see above) blew down and fell into the River Ouse. The tree was cut into manageable lengths and recovered from the river, see photograph below left.
	Photographed below is a segment of the tree trunk showing the growth (or annual) rings radiating from the centre to the outer bark. By counting these annual rings it is possible to date the tree to c1794. Whilst dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) is a precise science, counting the rings in the outer bark area of the sample proved difficult, therefore the dating is not exact. The trunk is approximately one metre (39 inches) diameter.
Each decade is shown from when the tree was planted circa 1794 until it blew down in 2007.
In order to put the growth of the tree into context a few dates and historical details about Felmersham and Radwell have been added together with a few related photographs. To view the photographs, click onto the thumbnail. Use the back arrow to return to this page.

	2007 Oak tree fell into the river during a January storm. 2000 Millennium celebrated. 1993 Felmersham bridge repaired and strengthened.
	1984 St Mary's Cottage built 19?? The Tithe Barn saved from demolition by Bernard West & Bernard Ward. 1974 Village School Closed. Pinchmill Lower School and Village Hall opened.
	1971-72 Detached houses built in Pavenham Rd. 1960's (late) Felmersham Grange divided into East and West Grange. 1965-69 Marriotts Close developed. 1962-64 Trinity Close built. Radwell Chapel closed.
	1955-56 Felmersham connected to Main Sewer. 1951 Church east window re-glazed. 1949-50 1 to 6 Grange Road built.
	1944 Flying Fortress crashes at Freer's Wood. 1942 Gravel extraction at Felmersham Nature Reserve. 1940-42 Three Wells brothers killed in WW2. 1939-45 Second World War.
	1938 New Plough Inn and Bus shelter built. 1935-36 Mains water supply laid in the parish and public water taps installed. 1930-31 Bailey's Villas built.
	1917-18 Church lych gates installed. 1914-18 Eighteen men were killed during WW1 and one women died from dysentery, caught while nursing the wounded.
	1906 The Annual Ram sale regularly held at Felmersham Grange. 1901 Queen Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
	1895 Mr Highton of Bedford designed a new pulpit. 1894 New churchyard gates and lamp fitted replaced in 1917. 1893 Oak bier purchased for use in parish.
	1886 Grange extended by adding the eastern extension. 1881 Old manor house destroyed by fire 1880 Present church clock and chimes installed. Pinch Mill demolished.
	1873 Organ installed in Church. 1870 1 and 2 The Slip built.

	1856 Midland Railway Company opens the Leicester to Hitchin railway 1855 Construction of the railway through Radwell.
	1853-54 Church Chancel restored 1850 Felmersham House pulled down and replaced by Felmersham Grange.
	1846 Village School and (Old) Rectory Cottage built.
	1837 Queen Victoria (age 18), succeeded her uncle, William IV.
	1831 Rev Orlebar Marsh of Felmersham House dies aged 82.
	1826 St Mary's church porch pulled down and rebuilt.
	1825 Joseph Pain's barn at Felmersham Hardwick deliberately set on fire.
	1825 Robert Costin and James Hulatt sentenced to be hanged for sheep stealing, reprieved and transported for life. 1820's Hillcrest in Grange Road built as a pair of cottages.
	1819 Queen Victoria born 1818. Felmersham Bridge Built.
	1818 Edward Arpin writes in his bible. 1815 Battle of Waterloo. 1813-31 Edward Arpin writes his diaries.
	1807 Radwell Wesleyan Methodist chapel built.

	1794 Oak tree planted possibly by Rev Orlebar Marsh of Felmersham House.

Photographs of oak tree and loan of oak segment by kind permission of Richard Phipps

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