THE Guardians of the Great Tree in Holsworthy gathered in the town square at 8am on Tuesday, May 1 to carry out the traditional measuring of the tree.

This year marks the 25th year of the planting of the tree.

The originator of the tree project, Guardian James M Rowland, provided the Post with some background information about The Great Tree and its significance to the town.

An English Oak (Quercus Rober), then about nine years old, was planted in Holsworthy square on November 26, 1992.

Those who had contributed towards the costs were invited to become ‘Hereditary Guardians of The Great Tree’ and were issued with ‘Certificates of Admission to the Roll of Guardians’.

The ‘rules’ of the Guardians were devised by Mr Rowland, who is also the Guardians’ ‘Registrar’, and were set out in the letter sent by him in April 1993 to each of the 80 original Guardians.

It read: “Guardianship of the Tree is intended to be hereditary. You may pass your certificate on to your chosen successor and, on production of the certificate can have his of her name added to the Roll. The Roll will be maintained in perpetuity by a Registrar appointed at the Portreeve’s pleasure. On registering a new name the Registrar may charge, and keep, a fee not exceeding the price of one pint of best beer at the refreshment house nearest to the Great Tree. I am the first Registrar!

“The Guardians of the Tree are not a charity and have no officers, no committee and no funds. The only assets we own are two buckets. We will meet yearly, without notice, at 8am on May 1. Our common interest is in cherishing and preserving The Great Tree until it is old enough to look after itself. Its owners are the town council.”

Up to April 2018 the names of the 27 ‘first successors’ and one ‘second successor’ to retired or deceased original and successor Guardians have been entered on the Roll.

The first meeting of the Guardians took place on May 1, 1993, when the girth of the tree one metre above pavement level measured 140mm. Subsequent annual gatherings have been attended by between 14 and 55 loyal Guardians and on May 1, 2018 the girth of the tree measured 690mm with a height of 9.65m.

The tree is proving to be growing well following the recent measuring. It has grown a whole 9mm in girth, now measuring 698mm, with its height staying at 9.65m.