Cockspur Thorn felled in Wanstead Park

The stump of the small tree to the left of the felled ash in the photograph is a Large-flowered Cockspur Thorn Crataegus coccinoides, an American hawthorn and one of only a few in Wanstead Park.     It was felled during the second week of March 2007, as was the ash, at the north end of the Park, near to the golf course and the pump house. Apparently this was done by Thames Water Authority in preparation for a water pipeline intended to convey water from a borehole near the Temple to the pumping station across the River Roding from the Park, near the Redbridge roundabout. This photograph was taken on 20 September in 2005, it shows a healthy young tree.

This hawthorn, although self seeded, may be descended from the American Garden, that is shown as a feature on some very old plans of the Wanstead Parklands. Whatever, the question must be asked "Why was it allowed to be cut down - was it necessary?"

There may be one or two seedlings of this species remaining - a mature specimen exists elsewhere in the Park - but at least two other mature specimens are known to have been cut down at previous times!

Paul Ferris, March 2007