Infrared View of Ancient Sweet Chestnut Tree (Castanea sativa), Croft Castle, Herefordshire

            This huge ancient sweet chestnut tree pollard, with a trunk girth of 9.55m, stands towards the eastern end of the magnificent 'Sweet Chestnut Avenue', an avenue of ancient sweet chestnut trees about 1km in length. Sadly, many are slowly dying from Cinnamon fungus or Ink disease (Phytophthora cinnamomic), but they are ‘dead beautiful’ as giant sun bleached hulks. Seeds from these trees are being propagated by the National Trust in the hope that they will germinate into disease resistant trees.

Thought to be 400-500 years old, this fits well with the story that says sweet chestnuts were taken from captured Spanish ships and planted at Croft Castle between 1580 and 1680. These lines of chestnuts are called 'Armada Chestnuts' because there is a legend that they were raised from nuts found in the pocket of a Spanish sailor wrecked during the attempted Armada invasion in 1588. Most of the legends clustering around old trees are far-fetched; this one is fetched further than most.

Taken on: January 26, 2025

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ancient tree

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black & white

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sweet chestnut tree

sweet chestnut avenue

Phytophthora cinnamomic

ink disease

ancient sweet chestnut tree

cinnamon fungus

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castanea sativa

pollard

croft castle

Herefordshire

spanish chestnut tree

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Sets appears in: • Croft Castle, Herefordshire • Infrared more » • Trees & Woodland « less

Groups appears in: • TREE PICS • Nikon DSLR Users more » • Black & White Digital • Infrared UK & Ireland • Woodland Wonders • Black and white details • ancient trees • UK Woods, Forests and Trees • BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS (P1/A2) • "Black and White Unlimited" • _The Best Of Nikon_ • National Geographic | World Wide • A Black Rose - Post 1/Award 3 → NO sales or 2end Life!! • Infrared photos • Infrared Photography • National Trust - Time Well Spent • Black & White Done Right !. • NIKON D7000 CAFE • Nature photography, flora or fauna - P2 / Award 1 . . . please! • **Optical Excellence Level 1 ~ Post 1/Award 3 • Infrared (IR) Creativity (Post 1 - Optional Awards) • InfraRed Photography - and info about it • Incredible woodland • in explore • Trees through the Seasons • Best Photo of the Day! - No AI Images • «Black and White» Great Pictures • Porfolio Black and White 2 • Images of the National Trust • Woodland Photography • Beautiful Trees & Forests • Black & White [BW] Images • WONDERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN GENERAL.MARAVILLAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA EN « less

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