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Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Pope Francis' final resting place: Pontiff wanted to be 'in the earth' and with just a simple tombstone carrying his name in Latin
The details of Pope Francis' final resting place have been revealed, as some 400,000 mourners turned out for his Funeral in Rome on Saturday. The Argentine pontiff, who died on Easter Monday, aged 88, wanted his grave to be within the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, four miles from the Vatican, and which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. His will said he wanted it to be 'in the earth' and with just a simple tombstone carrying his name in Latin, Franciscus and a black cross for decoration. As the converted Popemobile hearse wound its way past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, thousands turned out to line the streets. For one last time Pope Francis made his way from the Vatican, symbolically crossing the River Tiber, as he made the 30-minute journey to the church in the Esquilino district. In his will, Pope Francis specifically asked that his final resting place be 'in the niche of the side nave between the Cappella Paolina and the Capella Sforza'. Above his is the marble memorial plaque of Paul V, who died in 1621 and who was Pope at the time of the Gunpowder Plot. The Cappella Paolina holds the Salus Populi Romani icon, which according to tradition was painted by St Luke and shows the Virgin Mary holding the baby Christ, and which was also brought to the altar for his funeral yesterday. Before each international trip Pope Francis would visit the chapel and spend time in quiet prayer and he is said to have visited the Basilica 100 times in 2023 alone. Pope Francis is not the first Pope to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore but he is the first to be buried outside the Vatican in more than 100 years. The last Pope not to be buried in the traditional 'papal cemetery' under St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican was Leo XIII, who lies in in St John the Lateran church. Several other Popes are buried at Santa Maria Maggiore and the last to be laid to rest there was Pope Clement IX who died in 1669. In his autobiography Pope Francis wrote: 'I've always had a great devotion to Santa Maria Maggiore, even before I became pope.' He visited the church more than 120 times and returned there on his way back from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to lay flowers and he was there on April 12 to pray one final time. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is particularly significant to Catholic faithful this year as Pope Francis had decaled 2025 to be a Jubilee year. According to tradition those that pass through the Basilica's Porta Santa (Holy Door) on the left-hand side of the building, will have 'redemption and forgiveness.' Santa Maria Maggiore means St Mary Major in Italian, and the church is a spectacular building with a ceiling covered in gold, brought back by from the Americas by the explorer Christoper Colombus. It is one of the oldest in the city of Rome and dates to AD358, where according to tradition the Virgin Mary told Pope Liberius in a dream to build a church where snow would fall. Earlier on Saturday hundreds of thousands of mourners and world leaders including Donald Trump packed St Peter's Square today for the funeral of Pope Francis. Some waited overnight to get a seat for the ceremony, with final estimates stating some 400,000 people packed into the square and surrounding streets. The crowds, packed with young people, applauded as the pope's coffin was carried out of St Peter's Basilica by white gloved pallbearers, accompanied by more than 200 red-robed cardinals. Francis was 'a pope among the people, with an open heart', who strove for a more compassionate, open-minded Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said in his funeral homily. There was applause as he hailed the pope's 'conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open'. Guests included Argentina's President Javier Milei and Britain's Prince William as well as Ukraine 's Volodymyr Zelenskyy - who met with Trump shortly beforehand, their first encounter since February's Oval Office clash. Prince William was also seen arriving on Saturday, attending on behalf of King Charles III. His appearance continues a tradition set in 2005 when the then-Prince of Wales attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. The British delegation included Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, as well as Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, led the service, addressing thousands gathered in St Peter's Square. But it will be prisoners and migrants who ultimately usher the pope into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as head of the Catholic Church. Francis is breaking with tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus. Pope Francis died on Monday, aged 88, from a stroke and irreversible heart failure in his beloved Casa Santa Marta residence. In his final hours, he had joined crowds for an Easter Sunday blessing at St Peter's Square. The pontiff had only recently been discharged from hospital, after five weeks of treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia. Britain's Prince William (L) arrives ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony on April 26 Donald Trump (back) waves as he leaves with US First Lady Melania Trump after attending Pope Francis' funeral ceremony, in Rome on April 26, 2025 Hundreds of thousands of people turned out in St Peter's Square, joining world leaders and special guests to mourn and formally mark Francis' passing. Bells tolled as the last of leaders from more than 150 countries took their places on Saturday. The massive crowd was largely silent, watching proceedings on several large screens around the square. Applause then rang out at the start of the ceremony as 14 white-gloved pallbearers carried the coffin, inlaid with a large cross, out of St. Peter's Basilica and into the square. The pope's casket was placed on a carpet in front of the altar, with the book of gospels laid on top, as the Vatican choirs sang. Choirs sang Latin hymns and prayers were recited in various languages, including Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Arabic, reflecting the global reach of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church. Massed ranks of red-robed cardinals sat to one side of the altar, facing rows of black-suited world leaders on the other side. In front of them were hundreds of priests in white vestments and then thousands of ordinary mourners. 'I'm touched by how many people are here. It's beautiful to see all these nationalities together,' said Jeremie Metais, 29, from Grenoble, France, ahead of the ceremony. 'It's a bit like the centre of the world today.' 'We want to say goodbye because he (was a) living saint, very humble and simple,' said Mary James, a Franciscan nun, who had stayed up overnight to guarantee a good place. 'You can feel a lot of energy, yes, a little bit of despair because we are tired, but ultimately we want to come and say 'thank you', thanks to Pope Francis for all he did for his church,' said Eduardo Valencia, visiting from Mexico. US former President Joe Biden (C) and his wife Jill arrive for the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square The coffin bearing the body of Pope Francis is seen on the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica during his funeral service in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26 Prisoners and migrants will later usher the late pontiff into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope People attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis at the Vatican, on Saturday April 26 Tens of thousands of people are gathering in St Peter's Square in the Vatican City to bid farewell to Pope Francis after his death at 88 The crowd broke into applause when Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re spoke of Francis' care for immigrants, his constant pleas for peace, the need for negotiations to end wars and the importance of the climate. 'Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today's challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time,' Re said. The open-air ceremony, which will be celebrated by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops and more than 4,000 other priests, was due to last 90 minutes. Among the other heads of state who flew into Rome were the presidents of Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, the Philippines and Poland, together with the prime ministers of Britain and New Zealand, and many royals, including the king and queen of Spain. The British Government delegation includes Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria, as well as Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Prince William is also in attendance to represent King Charles III. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived on Saturday morning and will attend with his wife Olena Zelenska, following uncertainty over where he could, after his travel plans were disrupted by air strikes in Kyiv. A spokesperson said Zelenskyy had met with Trump in Rome, after the White House said Kyiv and Moscow were 'very close to a deal'. 'The meeting took place and is already over,' Zelenskyy's spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov told journalists without elaborating. Trump also shook hands with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen at the funeral. Former U.S. president Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, were also pictured arriving on Saturday, joining president Trump and his wife from the United States. A seating order was published on the eve of the funeral, showing Francis's birth country of Argentina, then Italy, take precedence. Thereafter, leaders are seated 'in alphabetical order' in French - considered the language of diplomacy. Ireland's delegation comes ahead of both Prince William and the British Government delegation in the official order of precedence, because it is led by head of state Mr Higgins. Haakon, the Crown Prince of Norway, and William follow soon after in a category set aside for crown princes. Iran's culture minister Seyed Abbas Saleh Shariata, center, arrives for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square A member of the clergy attends the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025 The rite of the Velatio before to seal the coffin of Pope Francis on the eve of his funeral at The Vatican U.S President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to attend the funeral Mass US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump arrive ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025 Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden walk ahead of the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, at the Vatican, April 26, 2025 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City The pope shunned much of the pomp and privilege usually associated with the papacy and will carry that desire for greater simplicity into his funeral, having rewritten the elaborate, book-long funeral rites used previously. Francis also opted to forego a centuries-old practice of burying popes in three interlocking caskets made of cypress, lead and oak. Instead, he has been placed in a single, zinc-lined wooden coffin, which was sealed closed overnight. The funeral sets off the first of nine days of official Vatican mourning for Francis, who took over following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. After the mourning, cardinals will gather for the conclave to elect a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. The Pope will be ushered into his final resting place by prisoners and migrants - in a nod to his focus on the needy and the poor during his time as leader of the Catholic church. Scaffolding has been erected to provide international media with the best vantage points overlooking St Peter's Square while there is a strong Italian police presence managing numbers and security. The complex security operation, estimated to cost five million Euros (£4.3m), comprises 8,000 security staff members, including 2,000 uniformed police officers and 1,400 plainclothes officers. The Vatican has a small ceremonial army of Swiss Guards and there is also the Vatican Security Service, the Pope's bodyguards. But the main security will be provided by the Italian government and there will be thousands of police and soldiers in and around the Vatican and along the four-mile route from St Peter's to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica where Francis will be buried. Anti-drone technology is being deployed to jam any UAVs that attempt to film proceedings from above. The operation also includes special forces sharp-shooters on rooftops, undercover units, security teams on horseback, helicopter patrols and boats on the nearby River Tiber. Tens of thousands of people are expected to pack out St Peter's Square - with thousands more lining the streets of Rome Former US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are seen within Vatican City ahead of Pope Francis' funeral Faithful gather at the Vatican obelisk in St Peter's Square on Saturday ahead of Francis' funeral People on Via della Conciliazione - the long thoroughfare in Rome that leads to the Vatican - ahead of the service A nun takes a photograph on her mobile phone as she arrives for Pope Francis' funeral Crowds gathered early on Saturday for Pope Francis' funeral, which starts from 9am UK time Pope Francis died on Monday aged 88, hours after greeting the faithful to mark Easter Sunday (pictured) Following the funeral, Francis will be taken through the streets of Rome in a break with tradition as he is carried to his final, unconventional resting place. Rather than in the Vatican, where popes are typically buried, Francis will be laid to rest in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in the centre of Rome, where he regularly prayed before and after trips overseas. Francis' simple coffin will be entombed in an alcove that had previously been used to store candlestick holders. Per his request, it will not be decorated and will be inscribed only with his papal name in Latin, Franciscus. It is another departure from tradition for the liberal Pope, who held progressive views on the rights of immigrants and LGBT rights, as well as climate change and the ethics of modern technology such as social media and artificial intelligence. The last pope who asked to be buried outside of the Vatican was Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903. And while today marks the first of nine days of mourning, speculation regarding the next pope is likely to begin shortly after the funeral. Conclave, the secret meeting of cardinals to elect Francis's successor, is thought likely to begin on May 5. Slovakia's President Peter Pellegrini, center, and Slovakia's Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, left, stand in front of their seats ahead of the funeral A nun holds a rosary as she sits waiting for the service to begin, flanked by other faithful A woman is seen praying in St Peter's Square ahead of Pope Francis' funeral mass on Saturday Cardinals walk through the Vatican ahead of Francis' funeral Clerg arriving at St Peter's Square on Saturday morning. The service was due to start at 10am local time A complex security operation has been rolled out at an estimated cost of five million Euros, including anti-drone technology (pictured: a soldier with a 'drone gun' alongside a spotter with binoculars) One Vatican expert has said she thinks it is 'totally unpredictable' at this point as to who the next pope might be. UK theologian Professor Anna Rowlands said: 'That's partly because the process is genuinely both secret, so it happens in private, but also because the make-up of this College of Cardinals is very different from anyone that's been here to elect a pope before. 'It's going to be, I think, a surprise conclave, that is totally unpredictable at this point, but I think will produce, potentially, a really interesting candidate who possibly none of us will know.' Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell - the camerlengo or senior Vatican official - has been responsible for carrying out the administrative and financial duties of the Holy See until a new pope takes over. He had the role of announcing the Pope's death on Easter Monday, coordinating meetings with the cardinals ahead of conclave and ensuring the Sistine Chapel is ready to accommodate them when that process begins in the coming weeks.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Is it time to give our ancient trees the same protection as Stonehenge?
On its website alongside its menu, Toby Carvery offers customers some advice on the intricacies of cutting. In a section entitled 'A Few Words on Carving', a long sharp, serrated blade is recommended in order to make the most precise cut, as well as using the entire length of the knife. One presumes the tree contractors employed by the branch of the restaurant chain in Enfield, north London, did not pay similarly careful consideration when lopping down a 450-year-old ancient oak overlooking its car park. Instead, there has been an act of ecological vandalism which has provoked similar national outrage to 2023's felling of the Sycamore Gap tree. The loss of the Toby Carvery oak, campaigners say, is perhaps even more disastrous compared to the 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree, due to the vast array of species which such veteran trees support. A single ancient oak can harbour up to 2,300 species, meaning that an entire ecosystem has now been chainsawed into oblivion. That, and as pointed out by the writer Robert Macfarlane, this was a tree that pre-dated the Gunpowder Plot. But it is also a case which highlights the lack of protection currently afforded to Britain's cherished ancient trees, and raises the question whether, to ensure their survival, these totems of the landscape should now be granted the equivalent legal rights to scheduled ancient monuments such as Stonehenge. There is a bitter irony in the fact that the only 'listed' tree in the UK, meaning it is granted the same protection as heritage buildings, is already dead. The Grade-II listed stump of the Elfin Oak, which stands in Kensington Gardens, was carved with elves, fairies and woodland animals in the late 1920s by the artist Ivor Innes and is protected for its cultural value. Otherwise, unless covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) granted by a local authority or growing in a designated site such as a conservation area or nature reserve, Britain's ancient trees have no legal protection at all. While the Sycamore Gap tree was felled without permission, Mitchells and Butlers (the company which owns Toby Carvery) believed it had a legal right to fell the tree as it stood on land leased from Enfield Council and was not covered with a TPO. In a statement, the firm said it commissioned 'specialist arboriculturist contractors' who advised that the tree posed a potential health and safety risk and so the decision was made to cut it down. In response, Ergin Erbil, the leader of Enfield council, said on Wednesday that he was 'outraged the leaseholder has cut down this beautiful ancient oak tree without seeking any permissions or advice from Enfield council' and the local authority would be pursuing 'appropriate legal action'. The tree has been valued at £1 million, £300,000 more than the Sycamore Gap tree. Legal experts have said the owners of the Toby Carvery could be forced to pay for the value of the tree under the Cavat (Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees) system, if it is proven that they failed to take appropriate action before felling it. Under the current system, even existing tree preservation orders can also still be overruled. The Cubbington Pear, for example, a 250-year old specimen once voted English Tree of the Year, was felled in 2020 to make way for HS2. Meanwhile, the Darwin Oak, a 550-year-old specimen near Charles Darwin's childhood home which was shortlisted in the 2024 Tree of the Year contest, remains under threat from a proposed Shrewsbury bypass. Despite requests from campaigners to grant a TPO, Shropshire Council says this would still not protect it from being felled under the proposed scheme. Catherine Nuttgens, an independent urban forester, says the current system creates significant grey areas which leaves ancient trees at risk. She makes the point that it would be theoretically possible to grant listed status to the wrought iron props underneath the famous Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, but not the 1,000-year-old tree itself which they are designed to protect. Often, as was apparently the case with the Toby Carvery oak, these inadequate legal protections can result in tree surgeons becoming judge, jury and executioner (a role which some are unqualified to carry out). 'Any trained arboriculturist knows about ancient trees,' says Nuttgens, who previously worked as a local authority tree officer and community forestry manager. 'Clearly whoever did this was not a tree expert, maybe a chainsaw expert instead?' Liam McGough, who runs the north London-based Liam McGough Tree Services, agrees that greater legal protections should be afforded to ancient and veteran trees. The 40-year-old trained as a tree surgeon aged 16 and later worked on the Duke of Northumberland's estate before setting up his own business. He is a professional member of The Arboricultural Association, which acknowledges best practice, and alongside his business works with local authorities advising on tree protection. The problem, he says, is that 'anybody can buy a chainsaw and call themselves a tree surgeon'. Despite established guidance on tree maintenance, there remain few legal requirements placed on those in the industry beyond basic health and safety rules. 'The term is so loosely used there are people walking around with shorts and trainers going and knocking on people's doors and asking if they want their trees cut,' says McGough. While he insists his firm will always make an application to seek approval from a specific local authority when managing any urban trees, many others in the profession do not. 'There are thousands upon thousands of trees that are being cut without permission,' McGough says. He has studied photographs of the remains of the Toby Carvery oak (whose stump is still standing after being belatedly granted a Tree Preservation Order by Enfield Council in the hope it will grow back) and says the condition of the wood demonstrates there was no need for the tree to be felled. 'It makes me angry,' he says. 'It's a huge loss to the area.' There are in excess of 190,000 trees logged on the UK's Ancient Tree Inventory, which maps the oldest specimens in the country. As well as hosting an abundance of life, these ancient trees are also of vital cultural importance; acting as repositories of the nation's history and emblems of our national identity. In 2023, for example, a more than 1,000-year-old yew tree was felled on private land near Battle in east Sussex. The tree was located just a mile from Senlac Hill (which is regarded as the site of the Battle of Hastings) meaning it would have bore witness to the Norman invasion in 1066. It is estimated, meanwhile, that there are at least 500 churchyards in England which have yew trees older than the buildings themselves. Oak trees, in particular, represent some of our most long-lived and cherished species. After all, Britain is home to more ancient oaks than the rest of Europe combined. The trees were revered as far back as the ancient druids, while the Magna Carta was written with ink produced by the oak marble gall wasp. Among numerous venerable examples include the 1,000-year-old Queen Elizabeth Oak, which sits in the grounds of Cowdray Park in Sussex, and in whose shade Elizabeth I supposedly rested during a royal hunting party in 1591. Martin Hugi, a senior conservation adviser at the Woodland Trust, has worked as an ancient tree verifier over the past two decades. In 2023, he also undertook an 'ancient tree pilgrimage' from Land's End to John O'Groats. Using the ancient tree inventory as a guide, he walked 1,000 miles and visited 1,085 trees en route. 'From a cultural point of view, these organisms are probably the oldest entities that we will ever meet and that just deserves our respect in its own right,' he says. 'I think when a lot of people actually meet an ancient tree, then it puts them in their place.' There is perhaps slow progress in granting greater legal protections for ancient trees. Public consultation is currently being sought on a new tree protection bill in Northern Ireland which would strengthen legal rights for their like, and woodland more generally, by introducing a heritage tree designation and improving enforcement. But across the rest of Britain, no such moves are underway, meaning trees still remain under threat. The scene in the grounds of the Enfield Toby Carvery demonstrates the folly of further delay. A taped-off cordon reminiscent of a crime scene, and a stump where 450-years of history has been hacked away in an instant. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
16-04-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Is it time to give our ancient trees the same protection as Stonehenge?
On its website alongside its menu, Toby Carvery offers customers some advice on the intricacies of cutting. In a section entitled 'A Few Words on Carving', a long sharp, serrated blade is recommended in order to make the most precise cut, as well as using the entire length of the knife. One presumes the tree contractors employed by the branch of the restaurant chain in Enfield, north London, did not pay similarly careful consideration when lopping down a 450-year-old ancient oak overlooking its car park. Instead, there has been an act of ecological vandalism which has provoked similar national outrage to 2023's felling of the Sycamore Gap tree. The loss of the Toby Carvery oak, campaigners say, is perhaps even more disastrous compared to the 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree, due to the vast array of species which such veteran trees support. A single ancient oak can harbour up to 2,300 species, meaning that an entire ecosystem has now been chainsawed into oblivion. That, and as pointed out by the writer Robert Macfarlane, this was a tree that pre-dated the Gunpowder Plot. A 450-yo oak is felled without permission/consultation by @tobycarvery, who falsely claimed it was "dead". A tree alive when The Gunpowder Plot was hatched, which supports a web of 2000+ species, is in pieces. Legal protection for heritage trees needed. — Robert Macfarlane (@RobGMacfarlane) April 15, 2025 But it is also a case which highlights the lack of protection currently afforded to Britain's cherished ancient trees, and raises the question whether, to ensure their survival, these totems of the landscape should now be granted the equivalent legal rights to scheduled ancient monuments such as Stonehenge. There is a bitter irony in the fact that the only 'listed' tree in the UK, meaning it is granted the same protection as heritage buildings, is already dead. The Grade-II listed stump of the Elfin Oak, which stands in Kensington Gardens, was carved with elves, fairies and woodland animals in the late 1920s by the artist Ivor Innes and is protected for its cultural value. Otherwise, unless covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) granted by a local authority or growing in a designated site such as a conservation area or nature reserve, Britain's ancient trees have no legal protection at all. 'Thousands of trees being cut without permission' While the Sycamore Gap tree was felled without permission, Mitchells and Butlers (the company which owns Toby Carvery) believed it had a legal right to fell the tree as it stood on land leased from Enfield Council and was not covered with a TPO. In a statement, the firm said it commissioned 'specialist arboriculturist contractors' who advised that the tree posed a potential health and safety risk and so the decision was made to cut it down. In response, Ergin Erbil, the leader of Enfield council, said on Wednesday that he was 'outraged the leaseholder has cut down this beautiful ancient oak tree without seeking any permissions or advice from Enfield council' and the local authority would be pursuing 'appropriate legal action'. The tree has been valued at £1 million, £300,000 more than the Sycamore Gap tree. Legal experts have said the owners of the Toby Carvery could be forced to pay for the value of the tree under the Cavat (Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees) system, if it is proven that they failed to take appropriate action before felling it. Under the current system, even existing tree preservation orders can also still be overruled. The Cubbington Pear, for example, a 250-year old specimen once voted English Tree of the Year, was felled in 2020 to make way for HS2. Meanwhile, the Darwin Oak, a 550-year-old specimen near Charles Darwin 's childhood home which was shortlisted in the 2024 Tree of the Year contest, remains under threat from a proposed Shrewsbury bypass. Despite requests from campaigners to grant a TPO, Shropshire Council says this would still not protect it from being felled under the proposed scheme. Catherine Nuttgens, an independent urban forester, says the current system creates significant grey areas which leaves ancient trees at risk. She makes the point that it would be theoretically possible to grant listed status to the wrought iron props underneath the famous Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, but not the 1,000-year-old tree itself which they are designed to protect. Often, as was apparently the case with the Toby Carvery oak, these inadequate legal protections can result in tree surgeons becoming judge, jury and executioner (a role which some are unqualified to carry out). 'Any trained arboriculturist knows about ancient trees,' says Nuttgens, who previously worked as a local authority tree officer and community forestry manager. 'Clearly whoever did this was not a tree expert, maybe a chainsaw expert instead?' Liam McGough, who runs the north London-based Liam McGough Tree Services, agrees that greater legal protections should be afforded to ancient and veteran trees. The 40-year-old trained as a tree surgeon aged 16 and later worked on the Duke of Northumberland's estate before setting up his own business. He is a professional member of The Arboricultural Association, which acknowledges best practice, and alongside his business works with local authorities advising on tree protection. The problem, he says, is that 'anybody can buy a chainsaw and call themselves a tree surgeon'. Despite established guidance on tree maintenance, there remain few legal requirements placed on those in the industry beyond basic health and safety rules. 'The term is so loosely used there are people walking around with shorts and trainers going and knocking on people's doors and asking if they want their trees cut,' says McGough. While he insists his firm will always make an application to seek approval from a specific local authority when managing any urban trees, many others in the profession do not. 'There are thousands upon thousands of trees that are being cut without permission,' McGough says. He has studied photographs of the remains of the Toby Carvery oak (whose stump is still standing after being belatedly granted a Tree Preservation Order by Enfield Council in the hope it will grow back) and says the condition of the wood demonstrates there was no need for the tree to be felled. 'It makes me angry,' he says. 'It's a huge loss to the area.' Emblems of our national identity There are in excess of 190,000 trees logged on the UK's Ancient Tree Inventory, which maps the oldest specimens in the country. As well as hosting an abundance of life, these ancient trees are also of vital cultural importance; acting as repositories of the nation's history and emblems of our national identity. In 2023, for example, a more than 1,000-year-old yew tree was felled on private land near Battle in east Sussex. The tree was located just a mile from Senlac Hill (which is regarded as the site of the Battle of Hastings) meaning it would have bore witness to the Norman invasion in 1066. It is estimated, meanwhile, that there are at least 500 churchyards in England which have yew trees older than the buildings themselves. Oak trees, in particular, represent some of our most long-lived and cherished species. After all, Britain is home to more ancient oaks than the rest of Europe combined. The trees were revered as far back as the ancient druids, while the Magna Carta was written with ink produced by the oak marble gall wasp. Among numerous venerable examples include the 1,000-year-old Queen Elizabeth Oak, which sits in the grounds of Cowdray Park in Sussex, and in whose shade Elizabeth I supposedly rested during a royal hunting party in 1591. Martin Hugi, a senior conservation adviser at the Woodland Trust, has worked as an ancient tree verifier over the past two decades. In 2023, he also undertook an 'ancient tree pilgrimage' from Land's End to John O'Groats. Using the ancient tree inventory as a guide, he walked 1,000 miles and visited 1,085 trees en route. 'From a cultural point of view, these organisms are probably the oldest entities that we will ever meet and that just deserves our respect in its own right,' he says. 'I think when a lot of people actually meet an ancient tree, then it puts them in their place.' There is perhaps slow progress in granting greater legal protections for ancient trees. Public consultation is currently being sought on a new tree protection bill in Northern Ireland which would strengthen legal rights for their like, and woodland more generally, by introducing a heritage tree designation and improving enforcement. But across the rest of Britain, no such moves are underway, meaning trees still remain under threat. The scene in the grounds of the Enfield Toby Carvery demonstrates the folly of further delay. A taped-off cordon reminiscent of a crime scene, and a stump where 450-years of history has been hacked away in an instant.
Telegraph
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The real Macbeth – and the unsung Scottish county he called home
'Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him,' proclaimed Shakespeare in his famously Scottish play. Given the otherworldly and horrifically bloody plot, surely Macbeth didn't actually exist? Not only was Macbeth a real king, but you can still descend on Dunsinane, Birnam and a bubbling pot of other locations as interest in Macbeth this year bubbles over with a new exhibition in his Perthshire heartland, a film and a play adaptation at The Globe. The real-life Macbeth behind Shakespeare's 1606 creation was the King of Alba, Mac Beathad Mac Fhindlaích, a monarch who ruled from 1040 until his death in 1057, who was associated with many of the locations that inspired the Bard. Chief amongst them is the heartland for centuries where Scotland's monarchs were crowned – Perthshire. Scotland's only landlocked region is often overlooked by tourists bashing further north into the Highlands, but it brims with Macbeth. Shakespeare's play swirls in mystery; his inspiration is much clearer. Raphael Holinshed's 1577 history of England, Scotland and Ireland evokes that trio of witches three decades before Shakespeare. Hector Boece's early 16th-century History of Scotland also features the terrible trio; plus Perthshire's Dunsinane Hill, Birnam Wood and Scone. JP Reid, Exhibitions and Interpretation Manager at the Perth Museum, where Macbeth: An Exhibition, opens this spring, places Perthshire centre stage: 'We are at the heart of Macbeth. For first-timers there is something surprising and enchanting about discovering that familiar literary settings like Birnam and Dunsinane are real places.' The first stop on my own Macbeth odyssey is on the tree-shrouded banks of the mighty Tay, Scotland's longest river, once a dividing line between the Lowlands seat of power and the more lawless Highlands. Ancient Birnam Wood is mentioned by the witches who prophesied Macbeth's downfall, with witches long connected with Scottish monarchs. James VI of Scotland (James I of Britain) was on the throne when Macbeth was published and not only believed in witchcraft but feared regicide too having survived the Gunpowder Plot. Most of the vast forest has vanished, but the gnarly Birnam Oak and Birnam Sycamore are remnants from the ancient woodland, harking back to when Shakespeare came here in 1589 with a troupe of actors to perform a play. Just a few hours march further north, David Lapsley, manager at the recently reborn Pine Trees Hotel, a Pitlochry retreat fit for a monarch, tells me I'm not alone. 'We get a lot of visitors coming to Perthshire with Macbeth in mind,' smiles David. 'And with the new exhibition I expect to see more.' Further south rises the sight of Macbeth's fated demise. I ascend Dunsinane Hill and trace the old ramparts of an Iron Age redoubt. Intriguingly it was marked on a 1783 map as 'Macbeth's Castle' and in an 1818 excavation a subterranean vault was unearthed where the 'real' Stone of Destiny (Scotland's cherished coronation stone) was supposedly deposited by the king before his disastrous defeat in 1054. On the Macbeth trail, fact constantly intertwines with fiction. I yomp across tougher heather-clad ground in search of the 'King's Seat'. It's a deeply dramatic spot and it's easy to see why the 'Big Tree Country' of Perthshire, a wildscape riven by mountain, glen, forest and loch, set Shakespeare's creative juices flowing. On the outskirts of Perth is the pivotal Scone Palace, where the real Macbeth was crowned King of Scotland in 1040, on the Stone of Destiny. Fittingly the stone – original or not, and pinched by Edward I in 1296 – now lies in Perth Museum too after being repatriated. In the play both Macbeth and his eventual successor, Malcolm, are crowned kings of Scotland. Macbeth's real-life successor and stepson, Lulach, was crowned at Scone around 1057, but was killed in battle against Malcolm a few months later. On the very southern fringes of Perthshire, Macbeth continues to resonate. The experience is cinematic as you ease out on a wee boat to the island in the middle of Loch Leven, home to a castle swimming with tales of Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots. A Viking-style arrowhead was excavated from the ruins of St Serf's Priory here, which arrived after the Macbeths granted property to the island monks. A sign that the scheming Macbeths enlisted the help of the marauding Vikings to help secure their power? My final stop is Perth Museum, where Macbeth is the star of a new exhibition. Spokesperson Olivia Rickman explains the appeal: 'The exhibition draws on the history, myth, and artistry behind Shakespeare's character. It features rare objects spanning 1,000 years of history – including Shakespeare's First Folio where the tragedy of Macbeth was first printed. There is also a rare 11th-century sword from the time of the real Macbeth.' The exhibition explores the remarkable influence Macbeth has had on the worlds of theatre, music, art and film, from Orson Welles to Kurosawa, on to The Globe this year and the new film starring David Tennant. For real purists, however, the biggest joy lies in rambling around Perthshire's world of marching forests and ancient myths in search of kings, real and gloriously imagined. How to do it Macbeth: An Exhibition runs at the Perth Museum from April 25 to August 31. Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank runs at The Globe from March 6 to April 2. David Tennant and Cush Jumbo star in a new production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, which was filmed live at London's Donmar Warehouse and is screening now.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
National Trust members angry as family handed back Tudor house after £3m repairs
National Trust members have been left disappointed by the decision to hand back management of a popular Tudor House to the residing family after a £3.3m conservation project. An agreement has been reached between the charity and the Throckmorton family, who have lived at the stately home since 1409, for the family to take over and resume the day-to-day management of Coughton Court in 2026. The Tudor home in Warwickshire has been the home of the family for 21 generations over six centuries and plays a part in important English historical events such as the Gunpowder Plot and family connections to the royals. Aside from being a family home, Coughton nowadays opens its doors to visitors to explore the house, gardens and parkland, with shops and an onsite cafe also found on the grounds. The Throckmortons want Coughton to become an 'independent family run' attraction, however, some visitors have voiced their criticism over changing management not long after charity- and donation-funded renovations are due to be completed on the house. Coughton is currently undergoing a £3.3m large-scale building conservation project, repairing the building's facade and roof, that is to be completed this summer. A former Coughton Court volunteer guide, Philip Roberts, 74, told The Times he was 'dismayed' that the property will no longer be included in the National Trust portfolio. He said he was 'appalled' that the family were 'now going to reap the benefits' of the redevelopment and that members, who had partly paid for the work, would not be able to visit the property for free. In a year's time, Coughton Court will no longer be part of the National Trust member offer, with opening times and admission charges managed by the Throckmorton family. 'I for one will not be paying to visit once the family take over,' Mr Roberts added. Others took to Coughton's Facebook page to say they would not be visiting again due to the management change. 'Why have you spent a fortune on restoration work, when the building is about to return to private management so we will no longer be able to visit?' one user wrote. The National Trust has managed visitor operations at Coughton Court under a 15-year arrangement with the family since 2005 which was extended, but the family has now decided to resume managing the property, which they will do from February 2025 onwards. While the management will change, the National Trust said they will remain in ownership of the property, meaning that care and maintenance will still be supported by them. A National Trust spokesperson told The Independent that as owner, it has a responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of the property, from which an endowment was provided by the Throckmorton family at the time of the original agreement. 'With our ongoing responsibility for major repairs, the Trust had to replace the roof at Coughton in order to safeguard the property,' the spokesperson said. 'This work was needed regardless of whether the Trust or the Throckmorton family were managing the property, and work began in 2023.' The endowment is still used to support repairs and other works, but any large maintenance or renovation projects, such as replacing the roof 'are considered alongside other major projects across the Trust and prioritised accordingly for which central funds would also be allocated. 'The roof project at Coughton was also supported by an external grant from the Wolfson Foundation,' the National Trust added, with its website also adding that 'kind donations' from National Trust members and supporters contributed too. In a statement to The Independent, Magnus Birch Throckmorton said: 'It has always been my family's intention to take back the day-to-day running of Coughton and the National Trust has been aware of our ambitions. 'With the drive and enthusiasm to restore its legacy, it was decided that the time is right for my wife and I to return the management to family hands. 'We mutually agreed with the National Trust that the management transfer would take place on completion of the roof repairs so that while the works are taking place, there is a single entity coordinating both the repairs and the visitor experience. 'No money has been exchanged – the annual management agreement has simply not been renewed. 'The National Trust will continue to own Coughton Court and will be responsible for the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the property, he added. 'As a family, we will be responsible for the day-to-day running costs, including care of the collection.' The family's history with Coughton dates back to when the estate was acquired by John de Throckmorton, the Under Treasurer of England to Henry VI, in the early 15th century through his marriage to Eleanor de Spiney, heiress to Coughton. The house was then rebuilt by the Throckmorton family and has stayed in the lineage for 600 years, with members of the family still residing there. Mr Birch Throckmorton, his wife, Imogen and his family have managed the gardens while the National Trust has overseen visitor operations. The Throckmorton family transferred ownership of the property to the National Trust in 1946, while a 300-year hereditary lease was put in place which granted the family the right to live at Coughton Court. Mr Birch Throckmorton added in a statement on their website: 'We're incredibly excited to bring a family touch to the visitor experience and work with our brilliant team to deliver a vibrant next chapter that will stand out in Coughton's history in another 300 years. 'The Throckmortons have a legacy of hands-on management - my mother and grandmother designed and created the gardens that thousands of visitors enjoy today. 'We are extremely grateful to the National Trust for the restoration and preservation work that has been undertaken to date. 'Coughton Court has always been well cared for but we feel the time is right to bring its management back into family hands and celebrate its uniqueness.' Coughton Court is currently closed but is re-opening on 15 March for its 2025 season.
