Cowthorpe

Cowthorpe
St Michael's Church, Cowthorpe
OS grid reference	SE427524
District	Harrogate
Shire county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WETHERBY
Postcode district	LS22
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire

Cowthorpe is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is in the upper-division of Claro; 3 miles N. of Wetherby, 7 from Knaresborough, 13½ from York.The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St Michael, in the deanery of the Ainsty.

St Michael's Church

St Michael's Church in the village is a Grade I listed building, built by a Brian Roucliffe, and consecrated in 1458. In the choir, on a large flat stone, are the effigies, in brass, of a man and his wife, bearing betwixt them the model of a church, and supposed, from the inscription, likewise in brass, now scarce legible, to be in memory of the Founder and his wife. [1]

The Cowthorpe Oak

Cowthorpe is the home of an enormous tree, the Cowthorpe Oak. Its circumference is 60 fet; its principal limb (which is propped) extends 48 feet from the bole. The tree is decaying fast; tradition speaks of its being in decay for many generations. "Compared with this," says Dr. Hunter, in Evelyn's Silva, "all other trees are children of the Forest." Accroding to an earely history of Karesborough, "The leading branch fell, by a storm, in the year 1718; which, being measured with accuracy, was found to contain five tons and two feet of wood. Before this accidental mutilation, its branches are said to have extended their shade over half an acre of ground; thus constituting, in a single tree, almost a wood itself".

of Cowthorpe Oak

Langdale's Topographical Dictionary of Yorkshire (1822) records that "This oak in Yorkshire, attracted many visitors on account of its age, it girth and its history ... the circumference of which, close by the ground, is 60 feet, and its principal limb (which is propped) extends 48 feet from the bole. This venerable oak is decaying fast, the trunk and several of the branches appearing to be completely rotten, except the bark; tradition speaks of its being in decay for many generations. The intermixture of foliage amongst the dead branches, show how sternly this giant struggles for life, and how reluctantly it surrenders to all conquering time. "Compared with this," says Dr. Hunter, in Evelyn's Silva, "all other trees are children of the Forest." The leading branch fell, by a storm, in the year 1718; which, being measured with accuracy, was found to contain five tons and two feet of wood. Before this accidental mutilation, its branches are said to have extended their shade over half an acre of ground; thus constituting, in a single tree, almost a wood itself'. [2]

External links

• Historic England. "Details from listed building database ({{{num}}})". National Heritage List for England. – St Michael's Church