Survey - Trees

To understand the evolution of Powys House, researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of its major trees. By treating the grounds as an arboretum—a botanical collection of trees—the team uncovered a "planting pulse" that tells us exactly when the landscape was actively managed and when it was left to nature.

1. The Science of Tree Aging

Without expensive specialist equipment, the survey utilised a practical mathematical technique to estimate the age of the 80 trees identified on-site:

• The Measurement: The girth (circumference) of the trunk is measured approximately four feet from the ground.

• The Growth Rate: Most tree species grow at a fairly consistent rate of about 2.5cm per year.

• The Formula: Dividing the total girth by the annual growth rate provides an estimated age.

Quick Tip for Field Researchers: A tree with a 1-meter girth is likely around 40 years old. Since a 1-meter circumference equals a diameter of roughly 30cm (1 foot), you can use a simple 12-inch ruler to quickly check if a tree is old enough to be part of this historical survey.

2. Survey Results: A 60-Year Silence

The survey identified 21 different species, but their ages revealed a mysterious pattern in the estate's history:

• The Survivors: Only five trees pre-date the construction of the original Powys Cottage: two Sweet Chestnuts, two Holm Oaks, and one Yew.

• The Planting Gap: After the cottage was completed around 1820, there is no evidence of any trees being planted for sixty years.

• The Victorian Burst: Between 1880 and 1900, a massive planting effort occurred, accounting for nearly one-third of the trees on the property today.

• Post-War Expansion: Another 35 specimens were introduced following the end of World War II in 1945.

3. The Mystery of the Missing Woodland

The data raises significant questions about the "Secret History" of the land:

• Indigenous vs. Introduced: Aside from the ancient Yew, none of the 20 remaining species are indigenous to the area; even the oldest Sweet Chestnuts and Holm Oaks were introduced by humans at some point.

• The Great Clearing: If fungal records (from Article 3) suggest ancient broadleaf woodland once stood here, when and why were those trees felled, leaving only five survivors?.

• Ownership Clues: Why did a sudden burst of planting occur in 1880 after decades of inactivity?.

To answer these questions, we must look further back than the Regency era—back to the post-Ice Age landscape and the changing hands of land ownership through the centuries.