This is the ancient ash tree at Edlingham Castle.
I love really old trees. Living here in England I am rich with so many of these wonderful trees. This tree is one that lives at the corner of Edlingham Castle, growing upon what looks like a very old part of the castle. I think some many years ago when the castle was left to ruin, a sapling must have grow up there. The oldest part of the castle was built in the 1300’s and saw many changes over time. I wonder what might be concealed in the rocks all tightly held by this tree’s massive roots? You never know! One thing I know it does have is a geocache that someone hid there, it’s been there years! (oops was I supposed to keep that a secret? 😉 )
My drawing of the tree done in ink and wax crayon.
As I approached the tree, on this sunny May morning, I found a spot in front of it and just plopped down in the grass. I liked the form of the ‘scar’ where a huge limb must have been years ago, I think it was cut off because the area of the cut is so flat. I first sketched it in with an permanent ink pen then used a grey wax crayon to shade in medium values. I like how the two mediums worked together, and they’re easy to carry about in your pocket.
This shows the tree in relation to the castle.
That’s the tree on the left (above), you can see how large it is!
Another view of the castle and the tree on the right, taken in December.
This view of the castle I took in December, on a cold grey day, standing near Edlingham burn.
I hope you enjoyed this brief look at Edlingham Castle and it’s old Ash tree! Please leave me a comment below, love to hear if you have any special old trees in your neighborhood!
I do like the ink and crayon drawing of the tree, Mary. You have captured it so well. When ever I go to the castle I love to just sit and let my mind wander and visualise what life must have been like back then. I was there on Thursday as my daughter and family were up for a visit so just had to take them. Edlingham Castle and its lovely church has to be one of my favourite places.
Thanks so much Len! I know what you mean about trying to imagine what life was like way back when. I really wish I could see just what the castle looked like, at it’s different stages of change. I have a drawing of the castle I did last year that I’ll have to post sometime. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
We do have three old oak trees which stand together and which I named The Three Sisters. I have seven sisters, so the name seemed appropriate. I very much like your tree on Edinham burn, and your drawing is superb as always. I am curious as to what is the gray wax crayon that you used for shading, please. I would like to try it myself. Love your site and emails! Thank you! God bless, C-Marie
After several years, it’s still wonderful getting your drawings and writings Mary. The old ash tree is lovely…and reminds me of the beauty of England and your perfectly lovely corner of it! It was a long time ago now that I ND MY SISTER MARLY/SAM , WHICHEVER SHE USED, AND HER HUSBAND PETER MET YOU AND YOUR LOVELY GUY , WHEN ON A CHILLY GRAY DAY WE WENT TO SEE THE CASTLE, AND MET YOU BOTH …FORTUITOUSLY! a MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE.
Danny!
Hi C-Marie, nice to hear from you again! I love old oak trees, the one’s here are different than what I was used to in New York. Where I lived I’m pretty sure they were Pin Oak and White Oak…nice big leaves; but the leaves on the oak here in Northumberland are very small! But they still make wonderful acorns for squirrels! I like that you named your oak trees that, I did a painting standing out on my land (NY) of some big trees that I called “Sister Trees”. I had a field with big old trees growing along the hedges on each side of it and there were two huge trees across from each other that I named the Sister Trees.
The crayon is just a cheap child’s type crayon by crayola, they have different shades of gray and black too, that I carry sometimes and sketch with. It’s nice if you have a paper with just a bit of texture and you can watercolor over it. I should do a small post about using them sometime. Let me know if you try it. And thank you for enjoying what I post, it makes it really worthwhile to me!
Wow, of course I remember you all! Gary remembers too! It’s so nice to meet friendly, interested people isn’t it? I’m so glad you still enjoy my blog posts, I always mean to do so many more but run out of time. Working on my children’s stories now, we’ll see what happens!
Very nice detailed sketch! Had to chuckle, we think we have some old trees here in Texas. One over a hundred years old on the coast just north of Corpus Christi bills itself as the oldest in the state. Just a baby compared to the majority you see daily. 😉
haha, I know, it’s the same with houses here! I live in one that’s over 100 years old and that’s no big deal! And with the trees, I like to wonder about what kind of people were around over the years of it’s growing and who might have planted it? When we see huge Sequoia trees planted, especially if they are in a row, we know there probably was a manor house near.
Mary your drawings are awesome. I stumbled upon your ground hog water color and showed it to Lori. I thought it was a photo, it was so detailed. I recently updated my blog, check it out when you get a chance. Jim McAndrew Woodland Carvings. What are you working on now?
Hi Mary,
The drawing of the old ash tree is awesome. There is an old oak near me on Marshland Road, it is the oldest tree in Tioga County. The diameter of the base must be at least 5 feet wide. Next time i go for a walk by there I will get you a picture.
Hi Jim! I’m sorry I never saw you comment, having trouble receiving comments from my website for some reason. You should take a picture of that ash tree, I’d love to see it, but also take a tape measure and measure the girth a few feet up from the ground. That would be so cool to see how big it is. New things I’m working on is learning how to use Gouache paint, it’s really great, kind of like my watercolors. I’m so behind on updating my blog, but am going to work on that!