Tottenham Trees
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Ode from the Oak

I’m the oldest oak in Tottenham, I’m told -
Four hundred at least;  most think five.
But the yew trees by the church are twice as old:
A thousand years - and still alive!
 
I was a tiny sapling when King Henry came
To meet with the Queen of Scotland, his sister.
I heard of the horrors that led to his fame,
But Margaret … well, I’m sorry I missed her.
 
I do remember Queen Elizabeth the First,
Demanding all succomb to her every need.
How my owner, Compton, must have cursed,
For he had to do exactly as she decreed.
 
To many more people we acted as host,
But there were no more Royals at the falconry,
And nothing exciting - except for the ghost
Of Lady Lucy who had jumped from the balcony.
 
I saw Charles Dickens several times
When Bruce Castle was a well-known school,
Where boys who committed minor ‘crimes’
Never got hit for disobeying the rule.
 
Do you know the street off White Hart Lane
That’s named after Hill, the Headmaster?
To the first Penny Stamp he owed his fame,
Which made the Post fairer and … maybe faster.
 
The new almshouses seemed very near,
With no tall buildings to get in the way.
Then the park became public for all to come here -
So lots more happening for me to survey!
 
I lost a huge branch about six years ago,
And I confess that did cause me to fret.
But I can still, in all seasons, put on a good show,
For there are lots of new leaves in me yet!

​Elizabeth Adams

Other poems to the Bruce Castle Oak:
The Tottenham Oak by Cecilia Strachen of It's a Word Thing
Of this tree by Abe Gibson 
Find out what's happening!
Learn more about trees
Find out out about the Tree Charter
Sign up for  Tottenham Trees Occasional Updates
Contact us at: [email protected]
In Tottenham seven trees were planted in a ring over 400 years ago for reasons lost in time; the Seven Sisters area and the underground station are named after them. The seven trees have been replanted a number of times, always by seven sisters. 

The Tottenham Trees logo, shown on the right, is a silhouette of the Bruce Castle Oak with the logo of the Charter for Trees, Woods and People launched in November 2017, on the 800th anniversary of the Royal Charter of the Forest.

Picture
  • Tottenham Trees
    • Winter Tree blog: Evergreen trees
    • Trees in Tottenham (Galleries) >
      • Tottenham trees (A-D common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (E-K common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (L-R common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (S-Z common name)
    • Special trees in Tottenham >
      • Bruce Castle Oak >
        • Arboricultural survey
        • Reminiscences of the Bruce Castle Oak
        • Calling Tree >
          • Calling Tree: gallery
      • Mulberry tree
      • Seven Sisters
    • Tottenham parks >
      • St Ann's Redevelopment
    • Tottenham Tree Trails
    • Archive >
      • Celebrating Trees 2023
      • #HaringeyFavouriteTrees 2022
      • #HaringeyFavouriteTrees 2021
      • Tree Charter Day 2019 >
        • Legacy Oak Ale
      • Tree Charter Day 2018
      • Tree Charter Day 2017
      • 800 year Charter anniversary
      • Calling Tree: Tottenham
      • London Tree Week 2017
      • London Tree Week 2016
      • Other Tottenham tree events
    • Who we are >
      • Postcards and Bags
  • About Trees
    • Threats to our trees
    • Tree Identification
    • Stephen's Tree Quizzes >
      • Celebrating Trees 2023 >
        • Answers: Celebrating Trees 2023
      • Celebrating Trees 2019 >
        • Answers: Celebrating Trees 2019
      • Celebrating Trees 2018 >
        • Answers: Celebrating Trees
      • Lazy Sunday Tree Quiz >
        • Answers: Lazy Sunday
    • Global Tree Calendar
    • Charter for Trees >
      • Charter history
      • Charter Principles
      • Independent Panel on Forestry
  • Urban Trees
    • Growing trees from seed
    • iTree surveying
    • Street Trees for Living
    • Tree care
    • Tree packs for free
    • Tree planting
    • Trees in the Townscape
  • Inspirations
    • Trees in Art from Tottenham
    • Trees in Words from Tottenham >
      • From the Sycamore Gap
      • Message on leaves
      • Nothing
      • Ode from the Oak
      • Of this tree
      • Poetry@The Room 2024 >
        • Little Ol' Me
        • The Elder
      • Poetry @ The Room 2017 >
        • Epping
        • Under the Elder Tree
      • Poetry Sunday @ Bruce Castle
      • It's a Word Thing!
    • Wangari Maathai >
      • Green Belt Movement
      • Institute and Foundation
      • First Seven Trees
      • Remembering Wangari
      • Kenya
    • Felix Finkbeiner >
      • Plant for the Planet >
        • 3 Point Plan
    • Chico Mendes
    • Chipko Movement
    • Inspiring stories from around the world
  • Green Spaces
    • Other Haringey Green Spaces
    • London Friends of Green Spaces
    • London National Park City
    • Parks cafe trail
    • The Conservation Volunteers
    • Future Forest