Shakespeare's Oak - Kendal Green, Cumbria UK
Posted by: 
martlakes
N 54° 20.079 W 002° 45.259
30U E 515974 N 6020783
This oak was planted by 5000 people in 1864 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.
Waymark Code: WM3GJE
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/04/2008
Views: 36
Just off the main road that runs north-west out of Kendal towards Windermere, is Kendal Green. It hides behind a couple of rows of houses but is easily found.
It is a large open space, mostly flat, surrounded by large Victorian houses. Nowadays it is a place busy with dog walkers, footballers, kids playing in the trees and all the usual sort of park activities. In the past it was one of the areas for drying the cloth that Kendal became famous for. The local wool was turned into a green cloth, which had to be dried on frames with hooks to keep it under tension - 'tenter hooks'.
Parking is easy on any of the surrounding roads, including right by the tree. On the garden wall of the nearby house is a plaque recording the amazing events in 1864 when 3 bands and 5000 people came to plant this oak tree and commemorate the birth of England's most famous playwright. It must have been a real spectacle. Shakespeare mentioned Kendal Green cloth in one of his plays, but even so the folk of Kendal must have been big fans! (See the pic of the plaque for more details).
In one of the yards in the town centre a theatre was built in 1828 to provide a space to play Shakespear's works. The plays must have worked their magic so that 36 years later 5000 people wanted to celebrate Shakespeare's 300th birthday. Shakespeare Mania!
The theatre was closed in 1930 and became near-derelict in the 1990s. It was re-opened in 1995 as a church and community centre. At the entrance to the yard is The Shakespeare Inn, which was first offered to let in 1858, and was described as “a Kendal house known by the name of The Shakespeare Tavern with brew house, stables and hayloft”.
The tree still stands today and is looked after. A slightly twisted trunk rises up, from which several large limbs reach into the sky.
Historic Event:
300th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth
Year: 1864
Species: Oak
Approximate Age: 164
Location: Kendal
Website: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
To log this waymark you must visit the site and post an original photo of the tree. Photos taken off the web, or from other sources are not acceptable.