College bids farewell to cherished tree in Tate Quad

^{Image: the cherry tree in the Tate Quad in its heyday}

Harris Manchester College has bid farewell to a very familiar feature of the Tate Quad – the large cherry tree near the Arlosh Hall. The tree had been in poor health for some time, with many of its branches dead, rendering it unsafe. Oxford University’s Parks Arboricultural Team has undertaken the work of removing the tree over the past two weeks, resulting in a very different look to the College’s main quad. Plans are already in place to plant a replacement, a Kentucky yellow-wood, in Michaelmas term. 

^{The tree pictured before work to remove it began}

The College’s Fellow Librarian, Kate-Alderson Smith, commented: “Looking through the archives, it was lovely to discover that this familiar feature was once a new arrival itself.  The House Committee minutes from 8 November 1948 record that ‘a flowering Cherry Tree had been purchased for the mound near the Arlosh Hall.’  Earlier minutes show that a red hawthorn had also been considered, but the cherry tree was chosen and planted.”  

Nearly 80 years later the small sapling has enjoyed a long life and has been a much-loved part of the College landscape.  We look forward to the new tree bringing as much pleasure when it is planted in November.” 

The Tate Quad pictured after the removal of the cherry tree