The Bomber Oak (Woodland Trust/PA Media)

Dear Readers, the shortlist for 2026’s ‘Tree of the Year’ has just been announced, and this year it features trees which have survived great tribulation. I think my favourite is probably the ‘Bomber Oak’, which had its top taken off by a Lancaster Bomber in 1945. Then, decades later, a water company wanted to lay pipes in the field, destroying the tree in the process. Fortunately, the local community, including the farmer in whose field the tree lived, rallied in its defence, and the tree, now 180 years old, lives on.

The Bendy Tree, County Down (Photo Michael Cooper Photography)

Another favourite is the ‘Bendy Tree’. from County Down. No doubt about the prevailing wind direction on this seaside site! The tree is a native Wych Elm, which has also survived the ravages of Dutch Elm Disease. Furthermore, the tree was once part of a row of trees, planted to protect the main street from the wind – all the rest were cut down for redevelopment in the 1980s, so this tree really is a survivor, being at least 150 years old.

The Crowhurst Yew, Surrey (Photo by Lee Cooper)

The Crowhurst Yew is the oldest tree on the shortlist, being possibly up to 4000 years old. When a cannonball was found lodged in the tree in 1820, it was discovered that the tree was used for target practice by Oliver Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War. The tree was hollowed out to be used as a parish meeting room back in 1845, complete with a table, benches and the door that you can see in the photo. Then the roof of the ‘room’ collapsed following a storm during 1845, The tree, which stands in St George’s churchyard, is still going strong today, an amazing feat of survival.

Culmstock Church Tower Yew, Devon (Photo by Lee Cooper)

And my final favourite, the Culmstock Church Tower Yew. At least 200 years old, no one is completely sure how the Yew tree got to such a precarious position – some suggest that a seed was accidentally included in the mortar during roof repairs, whilst others think that the seed was brought by a bird. Another theory is that the seed was planted during the ‘topping out’ ceremony for the church in the 1300s – Yew was thought to guard against evil spirits. However the tree arrived, it has survived on the sand and lime mortar, with occasional watering, for an unspecified number of years, and was recently described as healthy and thriving.

So, what’s your favourite? There are lots more to choose from on the shortlist here.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/press-centre/2026/07/tree-of-the-year-shortlist-uk-toughest-trees/