A 247-year-old tree has now been moved onto Frome Community College playing field, as part of an art and heritage project.
The oak tree from Stourhead was moved via a crane with the help of a £40,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery.
Local students will now work with Young People Frome to learn about the tree’s historical and ecological heritage. They will also be making artistic carvings in the tree. The students will be working with youth worker Azeema Caffoor, wood sculptor Anthony Rogers, eco-poet Helen Moore, and the National Trust to bring the tree back to life on the Frome Community College campus.
A project, named ‘Last Tree Dreaming’, will be developed around the tree, which featured in JMW Turner’s 1798 painting ‘View over the lake at Stourhead’. Students will visit Tate Britain, research the history of Selwood Forest, and walk 15 miles through woodland from Frome to Stourhead. Young filmmakers will also be documenting the project.
Talks by local experts will take place and an exhibition will be mounted next year in Stourhead by the students.
On college open day 2016, young people will take part in craft activities, storytelling, and poetry workshops.
Celebrating the installation of the tree at Frome Community College in July 2016, students will be involved in creating the start of an annual event; coordinating a performance/procession and traditional tree-related activities, that will also fundraise to ensure the ongoing maintenance of the tree.
The moving of the oak tree was supported by: Pete Aylesbury of Connor Construction (South West) Ltd, Ian Simpson of Rileys Crane Hire, Kim Portnell of National Trust Stourhead and John Brown.
