Over Whitacre

Civil Parish in Warwickshire North Warwickshire

England

Over Whitacre

The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea This remarkable ancient oak has hollowed and split into two halves, which continue to grow. The tree stands at a field boundary by a public footpath; a boundary fence runs between its two halves. It is overshadowed by a larger, younger oak. The old oak is listed by the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory as an ancient tree, a pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), 9.32m in girth at a height of 1.4m <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/tree?treeid=224522&amp;from=3523&amp;v=2395484&amp;ml=map&amp;z=16&amp;nwLat=52.521221154191636&amp;nwLng=-1.6090820501422698&amp;seLat=52.514287713370464&amp;seLng=-1.6001985738849456#/" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/tree?treeid=224522&amp;from=3523&amp;v=2395484&amp;ml=map&amp;z=16&amp;nwLat=52.521221154191636&amp;nwLng=-1.6090820501422698&amp;seLat=52.514287713370464&amp;seLng=-1.6001985738849456#/">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span> . Steven Falk has also written about this tree; estimating its age is difficult as so many growth rings are missing, but on the evidence of its girth he believes it may be more than 900 years old. See his The Veteran Trees of Warwickshire <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349330488_The_Veteran_Trees_of_Warwickshire" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349330488_The_Veteran_Trees_of_Warwickshire">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span> . — The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea Credit: A J Paxton

Over Whitacre is a civil parish located in the county of Warwickshire, England. Situated approximately 15 miles east of Birmingham, the parish covers an area of around 9.5 square kilometers. The village of Over Whitacre itself is a small, rural settlement with a population of just over 400 residents.

The village is characterized by its charming countryside setting, surrounded by rolling hills and farmland. It is predominantly residential, with a mix of traditional cottages and more modern houses. The parish also includes a number of farms and agricultural land, contributing to the area's rural character.

Over Whitacre is known for its strong community spirit, with several local organizations and clubs that bring residents together. The village has a primary school, providing education for the local children. The nearby towns of Coleshill and Tamworth offer additional amenities and services, including secondary schools, shops, and healthcare facilities.

The parish is rich in natural beauty, with various walking and cycling trails that allow residents and visitors to explore the picturesque countryside. The area is also home to several wildlife habitats, including woodlands and fields, providing opportunities for nature enthusiasts.

Overall, Over Whitacre offers a peaceful and idyllic lifestyle for its residents, with a strong sense of community and a close connection to nature. Its convenient location, within easy reach of larger towns and cities, makes it an attractive place for those seeking a rural retreat while still having access to urban amenities.

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Over Whitacre Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.52365/-1.621941 or Grid Reference SP2591. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea

This remarkable ancient oak has hollowed and split into two halves, which continue to grow. The tree stands at a field boundary by a public footpath; a boundary fence runs between its two halves. It is overshadowed by a larger, younger oak. The old oak is listed by the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory as an ancient tree, a pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), 9.32m in girth at a height of 1.4m Link

. Steven Falk has also written about this tree; estimating its age is difficult as so many growth rings are missing, but on the evidence of its girth he believes it may be more than 900 years old. See his The Veteran Trees of Warwickshire Link

A J Paxton

Trunk of an ancient split oak, Monwode Lea

This is a close-up of the once hollow, now fully split trunk or bole of the Monwode Oak, with a fence passing through it. For more information, and and a fuller view, see SP2691 : The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea.

A J Paxton

A tree of two halves: the Monwode Oak

This ancient split oak, with a field boundary fence passing through it, is seen here from the south, with the late afternoon sun falling on it in mid-October. For more information on this remarkable tree, see SP2691 : The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea.

A J Paxton

The Monwode Oak, viewed from the south

This ancient, hollowed out, and now split oak straddles the field boundary. The foliage of its younger neighbour overhangs it at the top left. Monwode Lea Farm and some of its cattle can be seen in the distance. A public footpath crossed the field; there is a stile a short way beyond the tree. For more information about this ancient oak, see SP2691 : The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea, which links to its page on the Ancient Tree Inventory of the Woodland Trust and to Steven Falk's study of the Veteran Trees of Warwickshire. This is one of two oaks he has found in the county with a girth of more than 9 metres. The other is 'Shakespeare's Oak' in the park of Stoneleigh Abbey, which is more intact and much better known, but is not near a public right of way. Judging from their girth, he thinks both may be over 900 years old.

A J Paxton

Ancient oak tree, Monwode Lea

This is a younger neighbour of the venerable Monwode oak tree SP2691 : The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea, and stands a short distance away in the same field, which is crossed by a public footpath. 'Younger' for an oak, that is; it is perhaps three or four hundred years old, judging from the girth of 5.6m (at a height of 1.2m, according to the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory) and the ready reckoner cited by Steven Falk. Its crown is much reduced in size. See its page at the Ancient Tree Inventory Link

and Falk's The Veteran Trees of Warwickshire Link

. It is a pedunculate oak, Quercus robur.

A J Paxton

Trunk of an ancient oak, Monwode Lea

This is a close-up of the pedunculate oak described at SP2691 : Ancient oak tree, Monwode Lea, which in turn links to its page on the Ancient Tree Inventory of the Woodland Trust.

A J Paxton

The Monwode Lea chimney

Standing alone in a field, this chimney is the only surviving part of a house built around 1600. It is a Grade II listed building, listed 'for group value', perhaps because a similar chimney survives in a nearby farmhouse in Over Whitacre. The listing can be seen at the Historic England site Link

. The chimney shares the field with two ancient oak trees. One can be seen in the background, on the left in a group of three trees, with a younger oak and an ash to the right; see SP2691 : The Monwode Oak, Monwode Lea. Behind them, on the horizon, extends Arley Wood: a distinctively Warwickshire Arden scene. The chimney appears in an early Geograph from 2006, SP2691 : A lonely chimney.

A J Paxton