Tree survey for historic garden in South Yorkshire

AWA Tree Consultants recently undertook a large-scale tree inspection and tree risk assessment of the trees at the stately home of Wortley Hall in South Yorkshire, which dates back to the late 16th century.

The site is in the village and civil parish of Wortley, approximately 9.5 miles north of Sheffield city centre, and 8 miles south of Barnsley. It consists of a stately home, currently in use as a hotel, caravan park and business centre. It has large associated historic gardens and woodland areas, with a public right of way crossing the site and several private residential dwellings are also within the grounds.

It is believed a hall has existed in Wortley in some form since the 1400s but was re-imagined in its current form by Sir Richard Wortley in 1586. It has a rich military history, including being used as a garrison in the English Civil War and being partially occupied as a barracks during the Second World War. It was during this period that the extensive, 26-acre gardens were neglected and fell into a state of dilapidation. Today however, with the help of a full-time gardener and volunteer groups, Wortley Hall is re-establishing the gardens to their former glory. Part of this includes a full, detailed survey of the property’s trees and woodlands which the team at AWA had the pleasure of undertaking.

AWA Tree Consultants often help landowners take a balanced and proportionate approach to tree safety at historic gardens and similar landscapes around the country. A tree that could cause harm if it fell must be systematically inspected by a competent person and managed to keep risks low. We take this responsibility very seriously and all our tree risk surveys are undertaken by experienced and qualified arboriculturists, who work with our clients to ensure they can meet their duty of care towards tree risk.

Among the many significant specimen trees, of note was a massive hollowed Sessile Oak, estimated to be around 500 years old with a stem diameter of over 2m. This ancient Oak has been recognised by the Woodland Trust and given “notable status”. It’s believed the Hall and gardens were constructed in what was the original deer park, so they were designed and built around the old trees (an excellent early example of designers recognising the value that trees can add to a development site!) The upper section has been damaged and much of the original crown lost – forming a natural pollard. With a tree of such importance, careful future assessments and management is required to ensure it is preserved for future generations.

The tree survey assessed over 1000 trees which informed our clear accurate tree reports and tree plans – using enhanced GPS technology to accurately plot trees for easy identification on site. Our tree report included an easy to read schedule of work for tree contractors and managers, including further detailed assessments and target management for some of the more significant trees. This helped the site managers to understand the value of their tree resource and understand what needs doing when, to keep risks to a minimum in a cost-effective way, so visitors and the community can continue to enjoy these magnificent historic trees.