The Major Oak is a Quercus Robur, the English or pendunculate oak thought to be around 800 years old. In a 2002 survey, it was voted “Britain’s favourite tree”.

According to local lore, its hollow trunk was used as a hideout by Robin Hood’s men, though if Robin was – as legend suggests – active in the 12th or 13th century, this tree could only have been a sapling then. So it must have been another, much older oak that hid the outlaw.

Today, the world famous tree weighs an estimated 23 tonnes, its trunk circumference is 33 feet (10m) and its branches spread to over 92 feet (28m).