Two trees, The Parliament Oak in Sherwood Forest and the Gernikako Arbola sum up the European historical significance of trees as foci for meeting places. parliaments, for good and ill, met here

Parliament Oak, Sherwood Forest

Trees - significant trees - have played a historic role as the focal point of meeting places. Since these meetings include national "democratic" structures they also  play a role in national consciousness.

This can be in a disparaging way. The traditional association with King John (scourge of Robin Hood). may not have enhanced Sherwood Forest's Parliament Oak to the local population.

Parliament Oak 1962,
 via
https://www.facebook.com/eddie.stalkperch?fref=ufi

Summer 2014 via https://www.facebook.com/ArchaeologyHistoryKingsClipstone

...the Parliament Oak, deserves to be as famous as the Major Oak. At about 1200 years old it is probably the oldest tree in the Forest and has its own place in the history and folklore of Sherwood Forest.

The Parliament Oak was part of the original boundary of Clipstone Royal Hunting Park, which was enclosed by a pale (fence) over 7miles long in 1180.

The tree marked the Hell Dale gate into the Park. Many large oak trees were included in the pale, with the fence stretching from one large oak to the next one — some of these oaks still survive to this day. In its current form the two trunks sit either side of this ancient boundary but the original trunk of the tree was on the boundary and actually formed part of the pale. The hunting Park survived until about 1830 (650years).

The name of this tree, with which it has been adorned for centuries, provides some insight into its place in the history of Sherwood Forest. There are three historic stories which provide some explanation as to how the tree was named the ‘Parliament Oak’.

The first relates to King John hastily calling Council with his Lords under the branches of the oak in 1212. It is said that whilst hunting in the Park he was so infuriated at hearing of a Welsh revolt he decided to hang the 28 Welsh boys that were held hostage in Nottingham Castle.

Further reference to King John in relation to this ancient tree was reported in the Manor of Warsop Perambulation Document of 1816,

“we proceeded thence in a direction nearly due West of Clipston Park Pales passing on the Northern side of a very ancient oak standing in these Pales call’d Parliament Oak.

Under the branches of which tradition says the Ancient Barons met and brought King John to those terms which laid the Foundation of the Great Charter of our Liberties called the “Magna Charta” which history informs us was afterwards signed at Runnymeade”

Another account links this oak with Edward I who was said to have called Parliament to meet at King’s Clipstone when on his way to Scotland in 1290. The Parliament was a huge undertaking, altogether 251 pleas with petitions were presented to the King. The Parliament took place on St Michael’s Day although there is little to suggest that any ceremonial assembly took place beneath it’s branches.

Whether or not these stories were true the Parliament Oak certainly has importance. It survived the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth (1642 to 1661) when many of the ancient oaks in the park were felled to supply wood for the Navy and the two iron forges in the village

For more information, go to 

-------------------------------http://sherwoodforesthistory.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/parliament-oak-clipstone-icon-of.html -----------------------------

Whereas the traditional association with King John may not have enhanced The Parliament Oak's status, you can't get much higher in popular regard than the Gernikako Arbola

Gernikako Arbola - the trunk of the "Old Tree"

 Wikkipedia Says....  In the middle ages, representatives of the villages of Biscay would hold assemblies under local big trees. As time passed, the role of separate assemblies was superseded by the Guernica assembly in 1512, and its oak would acquire a symbolic meaning, with actual assemblies being held in a purpose-built hermitage-house (the current building is from 1833).

The known specimens form a dynasty:

• "the father", planted in the 14th century, lasted 450 years
• the "old tree" (1742–1892), re-planted in 1811. The trunk now is held in a templet in the surrounding garden.
• the third (1858–2004), re-planted in 1860, survived the bombing of Guernica in 1937 but had to be replaced because of a fungus. The gardeners of the Biscayan government keep several spare trees grown from the tree's acorns.
• the current one (from 1986) was replanted on the site of its father on 25 February 2005.

The tree's significance is illustrated by an event which occurred shortly after the Guernica bombings. When the Francoist troops took the town, the Tercio of  Begoña, formed by Carlist volunteers from Biscay, put an armed guard around the tree to protect it against theFalangists, who had wanted to fell this symbol of Basque nationalism.

An oak tree is depicted on the heraldic arms of Biscay and subsequently on the arms of many of the towns of Biscay. An oak leaf logo is being used by the local government of Biscay. The logo of the Basque nationalist party Eusko Alkartasuna has one half red and the other green, the colors of the Basque flag. An old version of the logo of the nationalist youth organisation Jarrai also display oak leaves.

The Basque authorities present descendants of the tree as a symbol of friendship to Basque diaspora groups and related cities.

It features in an Basque Anthem 

The Current Gernikako Arbola

Its national authority is acknowledged in Wordsworth's Poem 

OAK of Guernica! Tree of holier power
Than that which in Dodona did enshrine
(So faith too fondly deemed) a voice divine
Heard from the depths of its aerial bower--
How canst thou flourish at this blighting hour?
What hope, what joy can sunshine bring to thee,
Or the soft breezes from the Atlantic sea,
The dews of morn, or April's tender shower?
Stroke merciful and welcome would that be
Which should extend thy branches on the ground,
If never more within their shady round
Those lofty-minded Lawgivers shall meet,
Peasant and lord, in their appointed seat,
Guardians of Biscay's ancient liberty. 

AND FINALLY........

A boundary tree in London. If there is one, there are probably others.... ...and if there are boundary trees, are there not also meeting trees????


















At a bend in the River Brent where it forms the boundary that separates Hanwell London W7 from Southall, Middlesex stands this ancient oak tree estimated to be over 900 years old---frequently battered about in storms and floods its been struck by lightning several times and lost branches yet still every spring its bright green oak leaves create a marvellous canopy ---here it is as it was  in late Winter …..

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