Securing the future of a magnificent tree
The largest London plane in the UK – and one of the very first London planes ever – is currently the subject of a unique project to save it for future generations, thanks to funding from the National Lottery and donations from enthusiastic supporters. Since the 1940s, this magnificent 360 year old tree located in the Cambridgeshire cathedral city of Ely, has needed support for its huge limbs. But now, new, innovative cable bracing is being developed to help it continue to prosper into the future.
Why is it special?
The tree is believed to have been a gift from King Charles II to Peter Gunning, the Bishop of Ely. It was planted at the Bishop’s Palace in 1674 when it was around ten years old. It is believed to be one of the original London planes (Platanus x hispanica), first recorded in 1663. The largest London plane in the UK – and one of the oldest – it was designated as one of the Top 50 trees in UK in 2002, by The Tree Council.
What is happening?
Several surveys have been carried out on the tree, and recommendations made for the adoption of an innovative bracing approach to provide support where needed and allow the tree to move and develop naturally. Coupling this with careful and precise pruning over the coming years will mean the tree will continue to enjoy good health and grow with vigour. The project is being run in association with The Tree Council and The Woodland Trust
Watch the live stream
Follow the live stream to see how the tree changes throughout the seasons and to observe the ongoing work taking place around it.
How will we know if its worked?
The University of Cambridge Department of Engineering installed movement sensor technology on the tree so it can be monitored across the seasons and in a variety of weather conditions. This has never been done in the UK before and will help assess the effectiveness of the bracing, as well as provide data on tree dynamics to help inform future research around heritage and veteran trees. The project is being run in association with The Tree Council, Woodland Trust and the Arboricultural Association.
A unique collaboration
The project is part of a unique collaboration between engineers at the University of Cambridge and arborists Suffolk Tree Services, Hayden’s Arboricultural Consultants and Care for Trees, who are working together to combine state-of-the-art techniques from their respective industries, in association with The Tree Council and the Woodland Trust. This novel approach includes use of a structural computer model to help guide the design of the bracing, based on geometry from a laser-scan survey and material testing of pruning samples [1].
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Make a donation
Your donation will help to secure a long and healthy future for the London Plane of Ely and help The Tree Council to achieve our mission of caring for trees and our planet’s future. Should you have any issues completing our online donation form, please email: teamtreecouncil@treecouncil.org.uk.
1) D Antill, J R Barretto, J P Talbot, S Cocking & P R A Fidler, 2026, Saving the Great London Plane of Ely: Engineering support for an ancient tree, ISMA 2026: International Conference on Noise & Vibration Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
