The ‘Old Man of Kent’, the county’s tallest tree, has reached the end of its natural life and been chopped down.
The Grand Fir (Abies Grandis) was planted at Bedgebury in 1840 by Viscount Marshall Beresford when he owned the estate.
The tree reached 50 metres in height but was damaged by Storm Katie on Easter Monday.
The damage revealed that the tree was diseased and further inspection showed that it was severely decayed and had to be felled.
However, because of the important conservation work carried out at Bedgebury National Pinetum, a collection of Abies Grandis seeds have been successfully propagated and will replace the ‘Old Man of Kent’.
It is hoped that the good timber from the tree can be used to create a lasting piece of art on the estate.
