Squire's Oak

Quercus robur

When Hainault Forest was disafforested in 1851 to produce farmland, most trees in the forest were removed except those in the Lambourne End area which were left untouched. Trees that survived now belong to part of the forest considered to be ancient woodland, having been continuously wooded since 1600 AD. Squire's Oak is likely the oldest tree still standing in Hainault Forest, located on Crabtree Hill at the northeast corner of the ancient woodland. It is named 'Squire's Oak' because the Squire of the Manor owned the trunk and permitted tenants and commoners to harvest branches when it was lopped. The woodland at Hainault, was just a small part of ‘The Forest of Essex’, and was divided among several manors, each having land owning and communal rights. The tree, with a girth of nearly 5 metres, is more than 260 years old.