Peterborough - Orton Hall (Cambridgeshire)
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Peterborough - Orton Hall (Cambridgeshire) |
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 Giant Redwood nearest the hotel |
 Coast Redwood nearest the hotel |
| For anyone with a fondness for these great trees, the area called Orton Longueville, around Orton Hall (now a hotel) is a place they really must visit. As well as several dozen Wellingtonia clustered around the hall grounds and surrounding woodland, leading away from the hall there are no less than three avenues of them! There is a short one that begins close to the hall, in a southerly direction; this comprises around 19 trees. Although quite vague now, with a number of trees missing, it seem quite clear that they were laid out in the form of an avenue. A little neglected, the trees are quite overgrown with weeds, nettles and smaller trees. |
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 Avenue 2 (127 Giant Redwood) |
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| At the end of this short avenue, and following on at right angles to it, is a fantastic avenue that quite literally stretches as far as one can see, following what is now a public footpath. These Wellingtonia have been planted in two rows of trees precisely opposite each other, one every 10 yards, the rows being spaced roughly a road width apart. The total count was 127 Giant Redwood (Wellingtonia), although one row has a few additional trees clustered around an adjacent pond. Of the original plantings it seems that only a dozen or so have been lost during the last century and a half. Walking along the half mile of track, known as the "Long Walk", it seems such a shame that this avenue has also been left to become overgrown with weeds, bramble and undergrowth, and of course the dreaded ivy and tree-creepers smothering some of the lovely trunks. Admittedly it would take a great deal of effort and time to restore it to an open aspect and reveal its true magnificence, but it would surely be a worthwhile project, the results of which could be enjoyed by so many. Perhaps a resident of the area might some day organise a voluntary group for such a project. |
 Avenue 3 (29 Giant Redwood) |
| The third avenue leads in a northerly direction from Orton Hall. Although relatively short (comprising around 29 Wellingtonia), it is rather better kept than the other two, and 5 of the trees that had been lost have been replaced with saplings that are now around two metres tall. |
 Giant Redwood in Holy Trinity churchyard |
 Giant Redwood with creeper |
| Charles, the 10th Marquess of Huntly was a keen horticulturist and planted much of the woodland around Orton Hall. In the 1850s, the Marquess and his wife, Maria, introduced many rare trees to the estate including the Wellingtonia and the exotic swamp cyprus. We had heard that there were some plans by the council to build dwellings and a road close to these trees, and that people were concerned about the possibility of damage to one of the fine avenues of Giant Redwood. It would be interesting to hear the result. |
| Common Names and Latin Name | Latitude and Longitude | OS National Grid | Elevation (above sea-level) |
Height | Girth | Date Measured / Notes | ||
| WGS84 | OSGB36 | |||||||
| Giant Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum |
N52.55358 W0.27856 |
N52.55319 W0.27693 |
TL 16810 96474 | 66ft (20.12m) |
-- | -- | Holy Trinity churchyard | |
| N52.55438 W0.27965 |
N52.55399 W0.27802 |
TL 16734 96561 | 81ft (24.7m) |
32.7m | 4.78m | July 2007 nearest Hotel | ||
| Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens |
N52.55332 W0.27797 |
N52.55293 W0.27634 |
TL 16851 96446 | 69ft (21.04m) |
-- | -- | Holy Trinity churchyard | |
| N52.55402 W0.28007 |
N52.55363 W0.27844 |
TL 16707 96520 | 94ft (28.66m) |
28.7m | 4.54m | July 2007 nearest Hotel | ||
| Girth was measured at 1.5m from ground. | ||||||||
| Common Names and Latin Name | Latitude and Longitude | OS National Grid | Elevation (above sea-level) |
Notes | |
| WGS84 | OSGB36 | ||||
| Giant Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum |
N52.55287 W0.27789 |
N52.55248 W0.27626 |
TL 16858 96396 | 71ft (21.65m) |
Avenue 1 Start (19 trees) |
| N52.55386 W0.27857 |
N52.55347 W0.27694 |
TL 16809 96505 | 60ft (18.29m) |
Avenue 1 End | |
| N52.55241 W0.27787 |
N52.55202 W0.27624 |
TL 16860 96345 | 78ft (23.78m) |
Avenue 2 Start (127 trees) | |
| N52.55004 W0.28722 |
N52.54965 W0.28559 |
TL 16233 96066 | 79ft (24.09m) |
Avenue 2 End | |
| N52.55503 W0.27971 |
N52.54964 W0.27808 |
TL 16742 96077 | 86ft (26.22m) |
Avenue 3 Start (29 trees) | |
| N52.55624 W0.27963 |
N52.55585 W0.27800 |
TL 16731 96768 | 52ft (15.85m) |
Avenue 3 End | |
| Common Names and Latin Name | Latitude and Longitude | OS National Grid | Elevation (above sea-level) |
Height | Date Measured | |
| WGS84 | OSGB36 | |||||
| Giant Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum |
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| N52.55528 W0.27982 |
N52.55489 W0.27819 |
TL 16721 96661 | 90ft (27.44m) |
approx. 2m | July 2007 | |
| N52.55562 W0.27981 |
N52.55523 W0.27818 |
TL 16720 96699 | 75ft (22.87m) |
approx. 2m | July 2007 | |
| N52.55588 W0.27972 |
N52.55549 W0.27809 |
TL 16726 96728 | 71ft (21.65m) |
approx. 1.8m | July 2007 | |
| N52.55616 W0.27962 |
N52.55577 W0.27799 |
TL 16732 96759 | 48ft (14.63m) |
approx. 2m | July 2007 | |
| N52.55617 W0.27944 |
N52.55578 W0.27781 |
TL 16744 96760 | 50ft (15.24m) |
approx. 1.8m | July 2007 | |
| N52.55624 W0.27963 |
N52.55585 W0.27800 |
TL 16731 96768 | 52ft (15.85m) |
approx. 4m | July 2007 | |