Located in Danson Park in Bexley, south-east London, this tree is another of those in London which has been awarded “Great Tree” status.

Estimated to be around 200-years-old, it was planted in what was originally the grounds of the Danson Mansion Estate.

Danson House, a Palladian villa, was built by Sir John Boyd in 1766 for his second wife Catherine Chapone and designed by Sir Robert Taylor, the architect who also designed the Bank of England.

The Charter Oak of Bexley’s name comes from the charter which changed Bexley from a Urban District Council to the Borough of Bexley. It was presented to the first municipal council by Lord Cornwallis underneath the oak in 1937.

The oak’s significance is underlined by its presence on the Borough of Bexley’s coat-of-arms.

Visibly deteriorating, in 2017, “revolutionary geo-injector technology” was used to decompact the soil around the tree and feed its roots, successfully extending the tree’s life.

WHERE: Danson Park, Bexley (nearest railway stations are Bexleyheath and Welling); WHEN: 24 hours a day; COST: Free; WEBSITE: https://www.bexley.gov.uk/discover-bexley/visitor-attractions/danson-house-and-park/house