On Monday, we celebrated the rededication of one of Knutsford’s lost heritage assets.
Seventy-two years ago, on 2nd June 1953, our late Queen, Elizabeth II, was crowned. To mark the occasion, an oak tree was planted on The Heath as part of Knutsford’s celebrations.
At that time, The Heath had few trees, making the Queen’s Oak a prominent sight. However, over the years, more oak trees began to grow, possibly seeded from the Queen’s Oak itself. Holly trees also became widespread and eventually obscured the Queen’s Oak from view. As a result, it was forgotten.
In 2021, the tree was rediscovered by Rob Eyre while surveying The Heath to catalogue the trees in public spaces for Knutsford Town Council. On 13th October, he came across it and described it as follows:
Surrounded by holly trees and enclosed by a six-foot-high ring of iron railings, it was difficult to access and seemed to be a possible memorial tree.
Initially, the status of this tree was a mystery, as no one knew why iron railings encircled it.
Two years later, the mystery was resolved by Jenny Collis and Mary Gracie of the Knutsford Heritage Centre, who found a 1953 Coronation programme in the Knutsford Town Council’s archive. The programme stated that an oak tree would be planted along with a line of ash trees in Ladies Mile.
With the mystery solved, Friends of The Heath, in collaboration with Cheshire Wildlife Trust, which manages the woodland, began clearing the area around the oak tree to make it visible again.
Once the area was cleared and the tree was decorated with a new rope cordon, a rededication ceremony was planned to coincide with the anniversary of the Coronation.
On Monday, the Town Mayor, Councillor Bryan Hartley, conducted the ceremony, attended by members of the public, including the Friends of The Heath, the Knutsford Heritage Centre, Knutsford Town Council, and Tatton Estate, the landowner.
In his speech, the Mayor paid tribute to our late monarch:
We hope this tree continues to stand not only as a marker of that historic Coronation but as a living symbol of continuity, community, and the strength of nature and memory combined.
As we gather to honour this tree and what it represents, I’m reminded of something Her Majesty once said: “It is worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”
Today may be a small ceremony, but it is a meaningful step — one that preserves a piece of our town’s history and honours a lifetime of service.
I also recall the powerful words she spoke as a young woman of 21: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.”
And serve she did — with unwavering grace and commitment for over seventy years. This tree, rediscovered and rededicated, now stands as a lasting tribute to that enduring devotion.
We thank everyone who attended the ceremony and all those who worked together to return the tree to its special status.
It has been a genuinely collaborative effort.
fantastic work by all – sorry I wasn’t able to attend the ceremony