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The Brimmon Oak

A 500-year-old oak saved by community action, now celebrated as UK Tree of the Year and a symbol of resilience in mid-Wales.

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Standing proudly above Newtown in Powys, the Brimmon Oak is a 500-year-old pedunculate oak, a veteran tree that has become a symbol of resilience and community spirit. Once threatened by a road bypass, it was saved by a passionate local campaign and went on to win UK Tree of the Year in 2016. This ancient, pollarded oak continues to inspire as a living monument to history, nature, and the power of collective action in the heart of mid-Wales.

A brief summary to The Brimmon Oak

  • A483, Newtown, Newtown, GB
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 1.5 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5

Local tips

  • Visit in daylight hours for the best views and photo opportunities; the tree is visible from the roadside but best appreciated on foot from the adjacent field edge.
  • Respect the surrounding farmland: stay on public footpaths or field margins, avoid disturbing livestock, and leave no litter.
  • Combine your visit with Newtown’s historic town centre and nearby walking trails for a fuller exploration of the area.
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Getting There

  • By car

    From Newtown town centre, follow signs for the A483 bypass heading east. The Brimmon Oak is visible from the southbound carriageway near the junction with the B4386; park safely in a designated layby or nearby public parking and walk a short distance to view it from the adjacent field edge.

  • By public transport

    Take a bus or train to Newtown and then a local taxi or a walking route along the A483 footpath; the journey from the town centre takes about 20–30 minutes on foot, depending on the exact starting point and route taken.

The Brimmon Oak location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Any Weather
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures

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Discover more about The Brimmon Oak

An Ancient Guardian of the Landscape

Rising from a field near the A483 bypass above Newtown, the Brimmon Oak is a majestic pedunculate oak, estimated to be over 500 years old. Its broad, gnarled trunk and expansive canopy mark it as a veteran tree, shaped by centuries of weather, farming, and careful management. With a girth exceeding six metres, the oak has long served as a landmark in the rolling countryside of Montgomeryshire, its presence woven into the rhythms of rural life. Generations of the same farming family have worked the land around it since the 1600s, giving the tree a deep, personal connection to local history and continuity.

A Tree Saved by Community Action

In 2015, the Brimmon Oak faced a serious threat: it was scheduled to be felled as part of the A483 Newtown Bypass construction. The farmer whose family has tended the surrounding field for centuries led a determined campaign to protect it, gathering a 5,000-signature petition to the Welsh Assembly. The campaign succeeded, and the bypass route was shifted by about 15 metres to safeguard the tree and its root zone. This victory turned the Brimmon Oak into a powerful symbol of how communities can come together to defend natural heritage, even in the face of major infrastructure projects.

From Local Landmark to National Champion

The oak’s story captured the public imagination, and in 2016 it was named Welsh Tree of the Year. Later that year, it went on to win UK Tree of the Year, beating national winners from England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The prize included a care grant and entry into the European Tree of the Year competition, where in 2017 it finished second, receiving over 16,000 votes and marking the best-ever result for a British tree in that contest. These accolades have cemented its status as one of Wales’s most cherished natural monuments.

A Living Link to the Past

Historical photographs, including a 1901 wedding party gathered beneath its boughs, show how the Brimmon Oak has long served as a gathering place and shelter. Its pollarded form suggests it was once managed for timber, a practice that extended its life and shaped its distinctive, spreading crown. Today, it stands not just as an individual tree but as a living archive of the area’s social and agricultural history, a silent witness to centuries of change in mid-Wales. Its survival and recognition highlight the value of ancient trees as irreplaceable elements of cultural and ecological heritage.

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