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Three Brothers Oaks, Brougham
Three Brothers Oaks
locality:-   Whinfell Forest
civil parish:-   Brougham (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   tree
locality type:-   oak
locality type:-   wood
coordinates:-   NY58442715 (etc) 
1Km square:-   NY5827
10Km square:-   NY52
SummaryText:-   The three trees have given their name to the area of oak woodland.

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 4 15) 
placename:-  Three Brothers' Oaks
placename:-  Three Brothers' Trees
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"Three Brothers' Oaks"
"Three Brothers' Trees (Site of)"

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Fiennes 1698
source data:-   Travel book, manuscript record of Journeys through England including parts of the Lake District, by Celia Fiennes, 1698.
"... in this park [Leighton Hall] is the 3 Brother tree which a little from the root measures 13 yards circumference; ..."

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Defoe 1724-26
placename:-  Three Brether Trees
source data:-   Tour through England and Wales, by Daniel Defoe, published in parts, London, 1724-26.
"... three oak trees which were call'd the Three Brether, the least of which was thirteen yards about; but they own'd there was but one of them left, and only the stump of that; so we did not think it worth going to see, because it would no more confirm the wonder, than the people affirming it by tradition only. The tree or stump left, is call'd the Three Brether Tree, that is to say, one of the three brothers, or brethren."

evidence:-   old map:- Jefferys 1770 (Wmd) 
placename:-  Three Brother Tree
source data:-   Map, 4 sheets, The County of Westmoreland, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, surveyed 1768, and engraved and published by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1770.
image
J5NY52NE.jpg
"Three Brother Tree"
tree 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : EME.s.47
Image © National Library of Scotland

evidence:-   old text:- Pennant 1773
placename:-  Three Brothers Oaks
source data:-   Book, A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image PEN6p152, button  goto source
Pennant's Tour 1773, page 152  "Not far from thence [Temple Sowerby] I turned a little out of the road, to the left, to see the remains of one of the famous oaks called the Three Brothers. Only the ruins of one are to be seen at present - an almost barkless trunk about thirteen yards in circumference, with only two branches which give any signs of life. It is hollow from bottom to top, and would make an excellent observatory for the star-gazing philosopher. The tract in which it stands is Whinfel-park, an ancient appurtenance to the Lords of Brougham-castle. It was in old times covered with vast and venerable oaks; but it now appears a barren waste, here and there shaded with birch trees."

evidence:-   descriptive text:- West 1778 (11th edn 1821) 
placename:-  Three Brothers Tree
source data:-   Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in London, 1778 to 1821.
image WS21P170, button  goto source
Page 170:-  "..."
"... In Whinfield-park are ... and the Three-brothers' tree; ..."
image WS21P171, button  goto source
Page 171:-  "... the remains of large aged oaks, that have long out-lived their own strength. One of them is upwards of nine yards in circumference."

evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions) 
placename:-  Three Brother Tree
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P160, button  goto source
Page 160:-  "..."
"In the middle of this park [Whinfield] is the Three brother tree, so called from there having been three of them, whereof this the least was 42 feet circumference a good way from the top, still remaining 270 years old, the trunk hollow, and capable of admitting a man on horseback to turn in it. ..."

evidence:-   old map:- Cary 1789 (edn 1805) 
placename:-  Three Brothers Tree
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Westmoreland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Cary, London, 1789; edition 1805.
image
CY24NY52.jpg
"3 Brothers Tree"
tree and woodland 
item:-  JandMN : 129
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- 
placename:-  Three Brother Tree
source data:-   Print, uncoloured engraving, Three Brother Tree, Brougham, Westmorland, drawn by Moses Griffith, engraved by S Sparrow, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image  click to enlarge
PR0424.jpg
 
printed at bottom left, right, centre:-  "Moses Griffith Del. / S. Sparrow Sc. / THREE BROTHER TREE / Pub June 1 1801 by Edw Harding 98 Pall Mall"
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2008.107.417
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print with text:- Lowther 1780s-90s
source data:-   Print, engraving, North West Prospect of Whinfield Forest, ie Whinfell Forest, Brougham, Cumbria, drawn by O Neale, engraved by Pranker, published by H Turpin, 104 St John Street, Smithfield, London, 1779.
image  click to enlarge
BNF08.jpg
"The North West Prospect of Whinfield Forest, situate near Appleby in the County of Westmorland, belonging to the Rt. Honble. the Earl of Thanet; with an exact Representation of that wonderful large Oak, call'd the 3 Brethren Tree, whose Circumference is 14 Yards, and will admit a Horse &Man thereon to ride Within the Same."
item:-  Dove Cottage : Lowther.21
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Pennant 1773 (edn 1801) 
placename:-  Three Brother Tree
source data:-   Print, engraving, Three Brother Tree, Whinfell Forest, Brougham, Westmorland, drawn by Moses Griffith, engraved by S Sparrow, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image  click to enlarge
PEN622.jpg
Tipped in opposite p.152 of A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant. 
printed at bottom left, right, centre:-  "Moses Griffith. Del / S Sparrow Sc / THREE BROTHER TREE / Pub June 1 1801 by Edw Harding 98 Pall Mall."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1057.22
Image © see bottom of page

notes:-  
Oak, Quercus sp.

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