#bowthorpe

[thepastisalreadywritten]

By Connor McGovern

16 October 2023

We’ve a lot to thank the trees for. Other than their vital role in the ecosystem, they’ve played an important part in mythology, agriculture, industry, and medicine since humans first walked the Earth.

Remarkably, a good number of the UK's most ancient trees — most of them yews and oaks — still stand today as living, breathing witnesses to centuries of British history.

We take a look at some of the UK’s most fabled trees — and the intriguing stories that surround them.

1. Ankerwycke Yew, Berkshire

Yews are guardians of churchyards throughout Britain. Many represent the oldest and most storied tree specimens.

Few are more spectacular than the Ankerwycke Yew, in the village of Wraysbury, near Staines-upon-Thames.

Measuring 26ft in diameter, it’s a botanical behemoth that’s believed to be around 2,500 years old, making it one of the oldest trees in Britain.

It long outlived the now-ruined St Mary’s Priory, a Benedictine nunnery whose grounds it stood in, and some even believe it to be the true site of the signing of Magna Carta in 1215, rather than Runnymede on the other side of the river.

Its intrigue doesn’t end there — it’s also alleged to stand on the spot where Henry VIII wooed a young Anne Boleyn. If only trees could talk.

2. Isaac Newton’s apple tree, Lincolnshire

Numerous trees are cited as being the very one that inspired the young physicist to investigate the theory of gravity.

But the apple tree in the grounds of Woolsthorpe Manor, near Grantham, has arguably the greatest right to this claim, with a scion planted (and still growing) at Trinity College Cambridge, where Newton once studied.

While the apple story is probably the stuff of scientific myth, it’s almost certain that Newton would’ve been familiar with the tree — which today is at least 350 years old — as it’s the area in which he was born and raised.

The county is also home to another of the country’s stalwarts: the Bowthorpe Oak, reputedly the UK’s girthiest oak, with a hollowed-out trunk so wide that it’s said to have hosted the Earl of Bowthorpe’s parties.

3. The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Tree, Dorset

Beneath the boughs of a 350-year-old sycamore in the village of Tolpuddle, a small group of agricultural workers gathered in 1833 to lament their poor working conditions and paltry wages — only to be arrested, tried, and sentenced to penal transportation in Australia for seven years.

The six men became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and after much public outcry, they were pardoned and returned to England.

Their cause was a key step in the workers’ rights and unionist movements. It is remembered in the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival; a memorial plaque sits beside this great tree.

4. Fortingall Yew, Perthshire

Widely believed to be one of the oldest living trees in the UK (and indeed in Europe), the Fortingall Yew spills over its walled enclosure in a village churchyard like a great shower of dark green needles.

Some experts estimate the tree to be the ripe old age of 3,000, which would make it date as far back as the Bronze Age — some 1,000 years before the Romans had even come up with the name ‘Caledonia’ for Scotland.

The sheer age of the tree means that over time, the trunk has split that it now resembles several smaller yews, rather than one sole, mighty plant.

The future of the Fortingall Yew, however, is precarious, with souvenir-seekers stealing needles and branches, and so compromising its health.

Ongoing conservation efforts that preserve the tree’s DNA by planting saplings in other Scottish churchyards will be key to maintaining its history.

5. Spanish chestnut trees, Herefordshire

Of all the ancient trees at Croft Castle, near Leominster (including the 1,000-year-old Quarry Oak), most noteworthy are perhaps the huge Spanish chestnuts.

Planted in one grand avenue, their origins are believed to hark back to the battle with the Spanish Armada in 1588, when chestnuts were salvaged from the wreckages and planted here at Croft.

In fact, the planting arrangement is said to represent a flotilla when viewed from above.

But it’s at ground level that the trees truly amaze, as they’re almost fantasy-like in their size and contortion.

Take time to admire the gnarled, grotesque trunks and the twisted branches reaching towards the sky.

6. The Chained Oak, Staffordshire

This old oak in scenic Dimmingsdale is now bound in rusty chains.

Local legend has it that in the early 1800s, the Earl of Shrewsbury was accosted by a beggar as he was passing by.

He snubbed the old woman, and in retaliation, she placed a curse on his family that held that every time a branch fell from the oak tree a member of the Earl’s family would die.

That night during a storm, one of the branches fell from the tree and — lo and behold — a relative of the Earl died.

Seized by paranoia, he chained up all the branches to prevent any more falling from the oak.

Even today, as you approach the tree through the thick woodland, there’s a mysterious air to this gnarled old giant.

Just moments away at Alton Towers, the legend is the inspiration for Hex — a psychological hair-raiser of a ride set within the Alton Towers building itself.

[patricia-von-arundel]

A couple more - look at these gorgeous terraced houses on Bowthorpe Road in Norwich, in the UK! They're no better inside, and I can assure you I know, because I lived in the one with the blue door. 🤷‍♀️

And wow, look at all the unique builds you'll find in new houses in suburban Brampton, Ontario!

...There are soulless places to live everywhere on the planet. This is not uniquely American. Hush.

Meanwhile, I knew the people who once lived here:

Cost? Less than $200,000. On a tree-lined street where every house was unique and it was a 10-minute walk to stores, restaurants, and everything else.

Shockingly, the whole world has pretty places, ugly places, and generic housing. Always has. Always will.

[globecycle]

Globe Cycle

Welcome to the Globe Cycle blog. My name is James Bowthorpe. I am aiming to break the record for cycling around the world to raise £1.8 million for unique research into Parkinson’s Disease. I will be cycling 18000 miles over a period of about five and a half months; cycling 120 miles a day for 150 days (there will be rest days). If I manage this target I will beat the existing record by about three weeks (set by Mark Beaumont).

£1.8 million is a massive fundraising target and I think that the challenge at hand is big enough to match it. My target time teeters on the limit of what I think I can do; the physical challenge made all the more difficult by the psychological barriers I am (apprehensively) anticipating.

I have been volunteering at the research clinic for the last two years. I have seen patients’ symptoms getting better because of the work that the doctors do; often patients are on no anti-Parkinson’s medication at all and they may never need to be. I continue to be impressed by how the research team, lead by Drs. John and Sylvia Dobbs, is tackling the question of Parkinson’s root cause rather than focusing on symptoms alone. I have also been humbled by how much they have achieved on a shoe-string budget.

Globe Cycle has come about because the traditional mechanisms for getting funding for research like this are too slow! Organisations talk about having something that can start to be translated into humans in 15 years. The next phase of the What’s Driving Parkinson’s research programme will take five years and cost around £5 million; a long time for sufferers and a lot of money. However, it is based on a solid foundation; the team already has a disease modifier and several promising leads that the next phase will explore. 

Contact us:

Address: 106 Beckers Ln, Manitou Springs, CO 80829, United States

Phone: +19851236598

Website: https://globecycle.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globecycleorg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/globecycleorg

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/globecycleorg/

[brody75]

Saving Jaws (2019)

[newnamesameme]

Bowthorpe Marshes Norwich #marshes #ponies #walking

https://youtu.be/j4Q0axFhh_I

[cleverwordsandotherstuffilike]

Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire, UK

Estimated to be over 1,000 years old, the Oak is in the Guinness Book of World Records.

[shvoowsh]

Birds of A Feather Fuck Together

Duo had finally found it. The perfect spot for the Bitch House, the perfect spot to finally fuck Hedwig. A beautiful bowthorpe oak, with a hollow center the perfect size for shenanigans. The wood had a wonderful dark color, a brown that matched the patches on Hedwig’s luscious feathers. And once he had added his toys, it became even better.

Hedwig had been on Duo’s mind for months, ever since he had seen her at the annual Owl Ball. Her sensual wing movements had captivated him for the entire night, and her eyes possessed a passion he hadn’t seen in centuries. His courage had failed him that night, but after months of preparation he was ready. He would have her tonight.

As he flew into the castle, his eyes roamed the ballroom, looking for his temptation. Tonight was a masquerade ball for all owls, but he would be able to recognize her eyes anywhere. Duo himself was wearing a brocade suit, complete with a matching mask. After a few minutes of searching, he was successful; he found her wearing a gorgeous (well, anything would be gorgeous on her) mauve dress that hugged her curves. She looked simply delicious. 

“Hoot hoot” he whispered, giving her his best mating call. Her eyes widened a fraction, her pupils dilating in a way that made him want to take her right here; surrounded by their brethren. 

“Hoot,” she said, a one word reply that made all of his dreams come true. He gestured to the door with his wing and she responded with a nod, her owly nipples, clearly visible through her dress, hardened in anticipation. Her figure was hardly suitable for flying, but by god it made his heartbeat skyrocket. But before they could make their escape, their path was blocked by his mortal enemy: Hooty.

Ever since they were fledgelings, they had been locked in an unending competition: and Hooty always won. Hooty got the worm, Hooty got the girl, Hooty got whatever he wanted. But Hooty could not have Hedwig. No. For once, Duo would win. Hedwig was his, and he would never give her up. Not for his brother, not for anyone.

“Ho-ot,” Hooty said in his deep voice, and the lights of the chandelier that reflected off of his gold mask amplified the smug look in his eyes. Hedwig hooted back in response, a terse reply, and Duo was thankful. But Hooty continued, a series of hoots that grew more and more insistent, and all Duo could see was red.

“Hoot.” he said, his voice sharp and dangerous, and for once he saw fear flash through Hooty’s eyes. For once, he was winning.

“Hoot.” He said, and as Hooty looked him in the eyes, he thrust his dagger into his brother’s lungs. Almost instantly, he saw betrayal flash in his eyes, and it was the best thing he had ever seen.

He twisted the knife, pushing it deeper and deeper, delighting in the sounds of pain that his movements produced. Hot blood spurted out of his brother's torso, and Duo let out a gasp of pleasure at the sensation. 

He looked over at Hedwig, his princess, and saw her inspecting the blood that covered her white feathers with a lustful gaze.

“Hoot,” she said, and Duo’s gaze darkened with lust. 

“Hoot,” she said, encouraging him to continue. And he did.

His gaze returned to the prone body of his brother, and his mouth widened into a smirk as he slowly withdrew the knife from his brother’s chest. 

“Hoot,” Hooty sputtered, and Duo didn’t reply, but stabbed his brother again, this time into his throat. 

As the life drained out of his brother’s eyes, a dark satisfaction filled Duo.

“Hoot,” Hedwig said suddenly, a clear plea for him to take her right there, on the floor. At some point their brethren had fled, so they were alone in the ballroom with the corpse of his brother. And while he wanted to, he definitely wanted to, it wasn’t right. He would do this properly, Hedwig deserved nothing less.

“Hoot,” he said, and she yielded to his whims. She would truly be a perfect partner, the yin to his yang, the sub to his dom. As he led her into the dark forest that surrounded the castle, he shivered in anticipation. This was going to be fun.

He looked at her as he held up his dagger, still coated in the blood of his brother, and she nodded. He reached up with his talons, grabbing her throat before pushing her onto her back.

“Hoot?” he asked, and she nodded in quick assent. He grinned, before he clutched his talons tighter around her neck. She whimpered in pleasure before looking around, eyes widening as she finally saw his collection; his masterpiece. There were cock rings, vibrators, ball stretchers, and dildos aplenty. 

“Hoot” she gasped, talons clutching a cock ring and Duo smiled. She had good taste.

“Hoot” he ordered, and she let out a breathy moan as he let go of her neck and presented her with his birdly cock, already hardened with desire. Her talons shakily clutched the cock ring as she slid it on to him, and he couldn’t resist the primal moan that erupted from his throat.

He could smell her cunt now, and he knew that now was the time. She knew it too, and exposed herself to him, her juicy pussy glinting in the moonlight. 

“Hoot,” he said, a warning before he buried his cock into her throbbing cunt. Her eyes rolled back in ecstasy, and as he thrusted deeper he realized with glee that she was coming apart; her walls closing around his cock like a vice.

“Hoot,” she squawked as she finally fell apart, her cum gushing out of her. As she came down from her high, he smiled. It was time for him now, and he knew what he wanted. He wanted pleasure, he wanted pain. He wanted cock and ball torture. 

[fromthedust]

Beth Moon (American, b.1955, working out of San Francisco Bay area)

Portraits of Time - platinum print photograpy

THE SENTINELS OF ST. EDWARDS

KING'S CANYON

CROFT CASTLE CHESTNUT

THE BOWTHORPE OAK

KAPOK

HEART OF THE DRAGON

MAJESTY

BRISTLE CONE PINE RELIC

THE GREAT WESTERN RED CEDAR

THE IFATY TEAPOT

THE CROWHURST YEW

THE MUCH MARCLE YEW

AVENUE OF THE BAOBABS

“Time is the shape of an old oak as the winds caress and sculpt the bark, defining hardship and beauty. Time is the trunk that splits apart in great age to accommodate the tempest. Evidence of time is revealed in the furrowed bark of an ancient tree, gnarled, crooked, and beautiful.

I’d like to keep a clear picture, so if a tree is destroyed by storm, disease, greed, or lack of concern, I will have a record of its power and beauty for those who were not able to make the journey. I photograph these trees because I know words alone are not enough, and I want their stories to live on. I photograph these trees because they may not be here tomorrow.”

https://bethmoon.com/

[joedoodle]

River Yare - Bowthorpe Park, Norwich - acrylic paint

[sumpix]

Trees that have been standing for hundreds or thousands of years are entitled to special treatment – just like precious buildings

Efforts to increase the level of protection available to ancient – or simply old – trees in the UK have been building for some time. In 2019, Janis Fry, an artist and yew expert living in Wales, launched a petition calling for new laws that would prevent the destruction of about 157 ancient yew trees at least 2,000 years old. Since then, the chorus of disapproval about current provision has grown steadily louder (if not exactly deafening: tree enthusiasts not generally being the noisiest protesters).

The launch of the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year competition this week – in which five venerable oaks dominate a shortlist of 12 – offers another chance to focus minds. The wider problem goes beyond the lack of protection for individual trees, and includes issues relating to the conservation of nature more broadly. While tree cover in the UK is increasing, woodland wildlife is not, and more diverse planting, including a larger proportion of native species, is needed if that is to change. The consensus among experts and charities such as the trust is that government proposals recently sent out for consultation did not go far enough. Pressure must be applied to ensure that existing protections are not only maintained but strengthened as the risks from unchecked global heating and fossil fuel production continue to increase.

How old a tree needs to be to qualify as “ancient” depends on the species. Along with yews, traditionally planted in churchyards, where many of the oldest and most famous survivors can be found, oaks make up most of the UK’s outstanding examples. Although an estimated 1,000 years old, Lincolnshire’s Bowthorpe Oak is less than half the age of the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire, which is thought to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old.

Old age is only one measure of a tree’s importance. But longevity is a characteristic that resonates with people – and can also entice them as visitors, making ancient trees attractive to tourist boards. The identity of the most ancient tree of all is disputed. The bristlecone pine, which grows in remote areas of the US west, was long thought to have the longest lifespan, of close to 5,000 years, but recently researchers have claimed that the Patagonian cypress could surpass it.

Recent studies of forest ecology have also looked at the role played by underground networks of roots and fungi. Scientists now stress the ecological importance of what they call “large old trees” – a broader category than ancient ones. One of the challenges in the UK is making tree conservation a live domestic issue, when forest campaigning was for a long time associated with the tropics. Increasingly, what used to be described as “Atlantic woodland” is instead being called temperate rainforest – a name change that seems likely to help.

With just 16% of ancient woodland in England currently designated as a site of special scientific interest, and a new study suggesting that there could be around 2m ancient or veteran trees, at least it is not hard to find room for improvement. Italy recently passed a law granting 20,000 trees legal protection as natural monuments. The UK should follow suit, by providing specific protections for the trees deemed most valuable due to their great age or other significance. Such recognition is long overdue, and would form part of the wider struggle to help the natural world recover.

[bleedinthenameofsatan-blog]

Sunday Stroll. #norfolk #norwich #uk #unitedkingdom #GB #greatbritain #bowthorpe #nature #naturephotography #naturelovers #nature_good #natural #landscapephotography #landscape #landscape_lovers #georgeryderphotography #green #greengrass #grass #blue #bluesky #bluesky💙 #yellow #yellowsky #sky #skyphoto #skyphotos #skyphotography #skyphotograph #photography #photographer #photooftheday #youngphotographer #path #trees #tree #treesthroughtheseasons (at Norwich, Norfolk) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpVn0ymFFRU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1v3wwhmcy3jfy

[hedrametal]

Drummer wanted #norwich #burystedmunds #stowmarket #diss #cromer #lowestoft #wymondham #hethersett #attleborough #ipswich #cringleford #thetford #bowthorpe #hellesden #norfolk #suffolk #eastanglia #southnorfolk #northnorfolk #unitedkingdom #metal #drummer #drummersofinstagram #drummerslife #drum #drums #drumminggig #drummeravailable #metal #urgent

[petnews2day]

Dog store chain Pettitt and Boo opens new Cromer store

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/GmIB

Dog store chain Pettitt and Boo opens new Cromer store

A Norfolk dog store chain has opened a new shop in Cromer. Pettitt and Boo has opened in the former Postles shop in Church Street selling all-natural treats and food. The shop is owned by husband-and-wife team Ali and Adrian Pettitt, who couple own three other pet stores in Bowthorpe, Hellesdon and Castle Quarter in Norwich. They now say they are […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/GmIB #DogNews

[delawaremailbox]

High street suffering following post office closure Norwich Evening News

High street suffering following post office closure – Norwich Evening News A petition was set up to save Bowthorpe’s post office before it closed in 2021. Pictured inset is Ketts Hill Bakery co-owner Linda Etheridge … http://dlvr.it/SX9tlW from https://youtu.be/bRIPdm37A1o/ https://tennesseevirtualpostoffice.wordpress.com/2022/08/24/high-street-suffering-following-post-office-closure-norwich-evening-news/ August 24, 2022 at 01:56PM

[illinoismailbox]

High street suffering following post office closure Norwich Evening News

High street suffering following post office closure – Norwich Evening News A petition was set up to save Bowthorpe’s post office before it closed in 2021. Pictured inset is Ketts Hill Bakery co-owner Linda Etheridge … http://dlvr.it/SX9tlW from https://youtu.be/bRIPdm37A1o/ https://tennesseevirtualpostoffice.wordpress.com/2022/08/24/high-street-suffering-following-post-office-closure-norwich-evening-news/ August 24, 2022 at 01:56PM