Without cutting it down and counting the rings, we may never know, but our ancient arboriculture correspondent Angus Young reckons he’s found it.
It’s a little-known fact that Hull and the wider Humber region has significantly low tree and woodland cover compared to the UK average. In fact, only 2.5 percent of this part of the world is covered in woodland. As such, ancient woodland is a bit thin on the ground.
In built-up Hull, most of the mature trees dotted around the city are found in public parks and cemeteries having been planted in the late 19th century. But what is believed to be the oldest tree in the city easily pre-dates the handiwork of our green-fingered Victorian ancestors.
Legend has it that the black mulberry tree in the walled rear garden of the Master’s House at Hull Charterhouse was once a favourite spot for the poet Andrew Marvell to sit under as a boy. There’s no firm evidence to say when it was actually planted but young Marvell is known to have lived there from the age of three in 1624 when his father became Master of the historic hospital.
The current Master’s House didn’t exist at the time and the old hospital was demolished in 1642 to make way for a military garrison during the English Civil War. However, it’s been suggested re-building work completed in 1673 ensured the tree occupied a central position in the garden of the new Master’s House.
Mulberry trees were known to have been planted in medieval monasteries and abbeys, probably for both their shade and fruit. It doesn’t take a leap of imagination to think the current Charterhouse mulberry might have even been grown from a cutting taken from a previous tree at the site when a monastery was based there.
Thanks to its sheltered location the mulberry thrived over the years, surviving a close call during the Second World War when the Master’s House was badly damaged by a bomb As time and a degree of post-war neglect started to take its toll, crude wire meshing was used to hold parts of it together. Then, in 2019, a large branch crashed to the ground sparking fears the old tree’s days were numbered.
Despite being largely hollow, it returned to full leaf the following year and in 2021 a large wooden prop was installed to keep it upright and avoid a potential collapse. The prop remains in place, making the tree look like a lop-sided Long John Silver leaning on his crutch. Even so, hopes remain high that it will leaf again this summer and even provide another healthy crop of fruit.