181:. The tree sat on private land but near to a public footpath from which it was visible. Thought to be around 250 years old, the Cubbington Pear Tree may have been the United Kingdom's oldest wild pear tree. The tree was the second largest wild pear tree in the country, measuring some 3.78 metres (12.4 ft) in girth. Despite its age the tree continued to blossom and bear fruit until the end of its life. The tree was entered onto the
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stated "HS2 Ltd explored all possible options to avoid removing the tree, but due to its age and condition, removal cannot be avoided" and that 40 new trees had been grown from cuttings from the pear, to be grown locally. They also stated that the stump and roots of the tree would be relocated to allow it an opportunity to regrow. The tree was cut down on 20 October 2020. Some of the wood from the tree was donated to a local woodworker.
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In
October 2019, local residents set up a protest encampment in South Cubbington Wood to protect the Cubbington Pear Tree and other nearby woodland. A parliamentary petition was launched in September 2020 and received 20,000 signatures of support. A formal response from the Department for Transport
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visited the site to record and assess the tree. Representatives from HS2 said that the tree cannot be relocated as the lower trunk is hollow. They instead proposed to take cuttings from the tree and plant seedlings from it nearby as a replacement. The tree trunk was to be placed in the South
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successfully took cuttings from the
Cubbington Pear Tree by September 2017. The Cubbington Action Group led a series of walks to view the tree in April and May 2018 to see it in bloom for the "last time". Preliminary works for HS2 in this area had commenced by May 2018.
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competition in 2015 along with more than 200 others. It was selected by the competition's panel of experts for the 10-strong shortlist for the public vote. It won the competition having garnered more than 10,000 votes and beating famous trees such as the
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The removal of the tree was opposed by the
Cubbington Action Group who instead proposed that this section of the line be tunnelled beneath the tree. A petition in support of this proposal was sent to the HS2 Parliamentary
151:. A Parliamentary petition was launched in September 2020 to save the tree from being cut down for HS2 and a month later had over 20,000 signatures triggering an official government response. It was felled as part of the
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in
Warwickshire, England. Around 250 years old, it was the second largest wild pear tree in the country and a noted local landmark. In 2015 the tree was voted England's
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699:"What's happened to the remains of our much-loved Cubbington pear tree - and wood from others trees chopped down by HS2 around Leamington and Kenilworth?"
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197:(HS2) Phase 1 railway line between London and Birmingham, becoming one of 20 pear trees to be threatened by the scheme. An expert from
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In
October 2023 it was reported that the transplanted stump had grown new shoots showing that at that time the tree was still alive.
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210:, but the scheme was rejected on economic grounds, with an estimated cost of £46 million. In preparation for its removal the
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as the "poster-boy for all the trees along the route of HS2 ... that are under threat from the project".
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749:"Pear Tree in line of HS2 beats Magna Carta Yew & Tolpuddle Sycamore to Tree of the Year title"
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173:, and is listed as such in the Champion Tree Register. It is located on the top of a hill near to
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630:"HS2 chiefs slammed after claims trees cut down at wildlife haven during nesting season"
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as a national champion (the oldest or largest known specimen of a particular species).
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In 2011 the
Cubbington Pear Tree was identified as under threat from the proposed
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578:"Pear tree which is set to be destroyed by HS2 will live on in sapling"
549:"Ancient pear tree in path of HS2 rail route wins Woodland Trust prize"
779:"England's Tree of the Year, Cubbington pear, to be cut down for HS2"
674:"Former tree of the year felled in Warwickshire to make way for HS2"
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competition where it came 8th out of 15 entries with 7,858 votes.
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Cubbington Wood to form a habitat for insects, fungi and plants.
655:"Campaigners aim to protect ancient woodland by setting up camp"
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The
Cubbington Pear Tree was identified as a specimen of
604:"Take a 'last look' at Cubbington's pear tree in bloom"
458:"A champion pear tree is identified on the HS2 route"
288:"Award-winning pear tree felled to make way for HS2"
314:"Tree of the year felled to clear way for HS2 link"
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422:"HS2-threatened ancient pear tree up for accolade"
266:The tree was subsequently entered into the 2016
484:"DNA cloning not for pear tree HS2 bosses told"
230:The Cubbington Pear Tree was entered into the
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513:"HS2 route tree voted nation's favourite"
354:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
312:Correspondent, Neil Johnston, Midlands.
259:. It was subsequently described by the
155:railway development on 20 October 2020.
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724:"Ancient pear tree comes back to life"
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35:The Cubbington Pear Tree in June 2015
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420:Gilbert, Simon (28 September 2015).
672:Murray, Jessica (20 October 2020).
628:Thompson, Catherine (16 May 2018).
576:Kearns, Laura (28 September 2017).
14:
547:Kennedy, Maev (8 November 2015).
183:Tree Register of the British Isle
805:"European Tree of the Year 2016"
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602:Kearns, Laura (26 April 2018).
1:
462:BBC Coventry and Warwickshire
16:Tree in Warwickshire, England
862:2020s individual tree deaths
847:Individual trees in England
753:Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
703:www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk
390:. European Tree of the Year
261:Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
878:
388:"The Cubbington Pear Tree"
370:"Champion Trees of the UK"
268:European Tree of the Year
40:
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232:English Tree of the Year
76:, Warwickshire, England
175:South Cubbington Wood
374:www.treeregister.org
212:Shuttleworth College
137:Cubbington Pear Tree
24:Cubbington Pear Tree
759:on 22 November 2018
728:www.theguardian.com
659:Leamington Observer
634:Leamington Observer
608:Leamington Observer
582:Leamington Observer
488:Leamington Observer
199:Warwickshire Museum
98: /
426:Coventry Telegraph
347:has generic name (
102:52.3113°N 1.4836°W
49:European wild pear
785:. 9 November 2015
519:. 8 November 2015
464:. 17 January 2011
253:Glastonbury Thorn
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857:Warwick District
832:1760s beginnings
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842:High Speed 2
808:. Retrieved
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787:. Retrieved
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761:. Retrieved
757:the original
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731:. Retrieved
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678:The Guardian
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553:The Guardian
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521:. Retrieved
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490:. 7 May 2014
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245:Boscobel Oak
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195:High Speed 2
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153:High Speed 2
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708:27 December
345:|last=
159:Description
139:was a wild
126:Date felled
118:Date seeded
105: /
81:Coordinates
826:Categories
810:10 October
789:10 October
763:10 October
733:26 October
683:20 October
639:16 October
613:10 October
587:10 October
558:10 October
523:10 October
494:10 October
468:10 October
431:10 October
394:10 October
327:30 January
297:30 January
274:References
249:Shropshire
179:Cubbington
145:Cubbington
121:circa 1760
90:52°18′41″N
74:Cubbington
337:cite news
322:0140-0460
241:Berkshire
141:pear tree
93:1°29′01″W
517:BBC News
257:Somerset
251:and the
171:communis
70:Location
61:communis
45:Species
320:
243:, the
852:Pyrus
169:var.
59:var.
812:2018
791:2018
765:2018
735:2023
710:2020
685:2020
641:2018
615:2018
589:2018
560:2018
525:2018
496:2018
470:2018
433:2018
396:2018
356:link
349:help
329:2021
318:ISSN
299:2021
135:The
255:in
247:in
239:in
189:HS2
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568:^
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339:}}
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
