The Old Man, an English Oak is one of many magnificent trees to be found in parkland at the Calke Abbey estate in the south of Derbyshire. Calke Park extends to around 600 acres (240 hectares), and is managed for the nation by the National Trust. Around one third is designated as a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Calke is home to over 650 veteran trees, of which 350 are regarded as ancient trees.
This tree was already 200 years old when the Battle of Hastings took place in 1066 making it 1,160 years old.
Although not very tall, it boasts a girth of over 10 metres. The trunk is gnarled, split and holed in places, giving the tree a somewhat battered and time-worn appearance. Despite this it is a massively imposing presence in the Calke parkland and seems to wear its great age lightly.
Calke Abbey was once a medieval deer park. The name ‘Calke’ {pronounced ‘Cork’} comes from an old English word for chalk, a nod to the areas rich limestone ground.
Thanks to the National Trust’s careful management, the Old Man of Calke will hopefully survive long enough to give several more generations of visitors to the Park the thrill of getting up close and personal with a tree that was in its prime when William the Conqueror first set foot on these shores.
Insects and birds
Calke is Britains 10th best site for
invertebrates living on deadwood, and hosts over 350 types of beetle, including the wasp beetle, which mimics wasps to avoid being preyed upon. Plenty of woodland birds breed here at Calke and its sometimes possible to see rarer examples such as the spotted fly catcher, which can be sighted around the park during the summer months. In the winter however, our regulars include birds such as this nuthatch.
Start/end
Start: Calke Abbey main overflow car park, grid ref: SK367226
End: Calke Abbey main overflow car park, grid ref: SK367226
How to get there
By bike: National Cycle Network traffic-free route, 5 miles (8km) away
By bus: Number 69/A, Derby to Swadlincote, alight Ticknall then 1.5 mile (2.5km) walk through park to house
By train: Derby, 9.5 miles (15.2km); Burton-on-Trent, 10 miles (16km)
By car: 10 miles (16km) south of Derby on A514 at Ticknall. M42/A42 exit 13 and A50 Derby South. Brown signposts from A42
South Derbyshire District Council, Calke Park Ancient Tree Walks.
https://64reflections.home.blog/2021/03/17/the-old-man-of-calke-still-hanging-on-after-1200-years
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