Redwood World: Billericay - Lake Meadows (Essex)

Billericay - Lake Meadows (Essex)

Giant Redwood Tree no. 1 - November 2023

Giant Redwood Tree no. 2 - November 2023

A few Autumn photographs of the Redwoods in Lake Meadows in November 2023. Dawn Redwood Tree No. 3 used to be surrounded by a Crazy Golf layout which has now be removed.
Dawn Redwood Tree no. 3 - November 2023	Dawn Redwood Tree no. 4 - November 2023

* * * Update September 2022 * * *

Rosie wrote to say that she had seen this website some years ago and she sent us some interesting information about the trees.

Rosie wrote; "I know all the trees that you mention. I know exactly when the Dawn Redwood, in the Garden of the Child in the Park, was planted, as I was involved in the planting of that garden in 2001.

The other Dawn Redwood in the old Crazy Golf area (now purely a grass area) must be of about the same age.

It would be very interesting to know how old the two Giant Redwoods in Lake Meadows are. Have you any idea?"

The Giant Redwoods would have been planted at some point after 1852 - the time when the Victorian plant hunters were bringing them back from America. Judging by the size I would estimate that they are some of the earliest planted in the U.K. so it's quite possible they could be around 170 years old.

Rosie wrote again to say; "I have always felt that the two Redwoods at Lake Meadows must be pretty old and now you have confirmed that.

I guess that Major Thomas Jenner Spitty must have planted them. He owned the land during all of the second half of the 19th century and he loved unusual trees. In his own garden at Hill House Farm he planted a number of interesting trees including a catalpa (Indian bean tree), a Glastonbury thorn bush and a very tall Ginkgo biloba. There already was an ancient mulberry tree in the garden too."

Thank you for all the information Rosie, it's great to have some history behind these trees and the people who planted them.

*** * * Update March 2021 * * ***

Giant Redwood Tree no. 1 - March 2021 - girth 5.61 metres (measured by Paul)

Paul wrote with an update on these trees, "I have been surveying Yew Trees for several months for the Ancient Yew Tree Org, & now I can survey and search for new Redwoods for Redwood World."

The girth measurements that Paul took for all four Redwoods are underneath his photographs.
All were taken at 1.5 metres from ground on 15th March 2021.

Thank you for the photographs and measurements Paul, Lake Meadows is a fairly local park to me so I really will have to go and measure the heights of these soon.
If you do find any more Redwoods on your travels I would be pleased to add them to the website.


Giant Redwood Tree no. 2 - March 2021 - girth 6.56 metres (measured by Paul)


Dawn Redwood Tree no. 3 - March 2021 - girth 2.17 metres (measured by Paul)


Dawn Redwood Tree no. 4 - March 2021 - girth 1.55 metres (measured by Paul) Paul wrote, "This last Redwood in Billericay Lakemeadows park is located in 'The Child in the park garden'"

Giant Redwood Tree no. 1 - May 2004	Giant Redwood Tree no. 1 - July 2006
Giant Redwood Tree no. 2 - May 2004	Dawn Redwood Tree no. 3 - May 2004

Thanks to Lauren of Essex who helped to demonstrate the comparison in size between a Giant Redwood and a 5-year-old! The tree, along with another Wellingtonia and two Dawn Redwood, is in a very pleasant park in Billericay called Lake Meadows. As can be seen from the first picture, despite its great height it looks as though the Giant Redwood has had a mild encounter with a lightning strike sometime before 2004 - leaving it healthy, if a little flat-topped!

One of the Dawn Redwood sits in the middle of the Crazy Golf area. One of the noticable features of the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is the incredibly straight trunk, clearly visible in this fine specimen. You may also notice the classic neat cone shape that these lovely trees form. For difference between in the types of Redwoods see our Redwood Types page.

There is a lake in the park (as the name suggests), a large children's playground and a tea-room - a pleasant spot to enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake, sitting outside on a warm day.

Common Names and Latin Name	No.	Latitude and Longitude		OS National Grid	Elevation (above sea-level)	Height	Girth	Date Measured
Common Names and Latin Name	No.	WGS84	OSGB36	OS National Grid	Elevation (above sea-level)	Height	Girth	Date Measured
Giant Redwood, Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum	1	N51.63440 E0.42124	N51.63390 E0.42291	TQ 67660 95619	252ft (76.8m)	24.3m 22.5m	5.66m 5.6m 5.36m 4.88m	November 2023 June 2021 August 2008 July 2006
Giant Redwood, Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum	2	N51.63455 E0.41995	N51.63405 E0.42163	TQ 67571 95633	242ft (73.8m)	30.2m 29.4m	6.6m 6.45m 5.97m 5.8m	November 2023 June 2021 August 2008 July 2006
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides	3	N51.63363 E0.41901	N51.63386 E0.42068	TQ 67506 95610	248ft (75.6m)	21.1m 20.5m --	2.2m -- 1.83m	November 2023 June 2021 July 2006
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides	4	N51.63423 E0.41948	N51.63373 E0.42115	TQ 67539 95597	243ft (74m)	17.5m 14.9m	1.72m 1.54m 0.6m 0.4m	November 2023 June 2021 August 2008 July 2006
Girth was measured at 1.5 metres from ground