The Oak at the Gate of the Dead

Description

The Oak at the Gate of the Dead is an ancient tree growing adjacent to Offas Dyke and is on the site of the Battle of Crogen 1165. It is situated next to the B4500 at Castle Mill, below Chirk Castle NT. This ancient Oak is believed to be over 1,000 years old and as such years it is sometimes referred to as the ‘Last Living Witness’ to the Battle of Crogen. It was named in 2006 by Tree hunter Rob McBride. Follow">http://www.twitter.com/thetreehunter">Follow him here on Twitter
It is recorded as tree no. 195 on the Ancient Tree Hunt/Inventory website.
The great oak now has its own Facebook for you to join here
">https://www.facebook.com/groups/OakattheGateoftheDead/"> Gotd Facebook Group

The tree has featured on many media programmes including BBC Countryfile, BBC Midland news, BBC Wales tv & radio and BBC Radio Shropshire in recent years.
Here is local lady Heather telling me of the trees folklore when I first met her back in 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AnB6Cpo71Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AnB6Cpo71Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AnB6Cpo71Y”
Here is the tree just days before it spilt in two in Feb. 2010. A massively significant event in the trees 1,000+ years history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pDMWZjFzEo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pDMWZjFzEo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pDMWZjFzEo”
The tree has now become almost a symbol of the Battle of Crogen. This piece of welsh history researched by Mark Williams and Deryn Poppitt has now been made into a film by Chester based film co. Take 27 ltd. The film premiere was shown on the 4th Feb. 2011 at The Wrexham Histories Festival.
See here when the plaque commemorating the battle was unveiled in March 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhew0ZsKqvo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhew0ZsKqvo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhew0ZsKqvo”