Well, ladies and gentlespoons the ale went off without a hitch. There follows a write up nothing to do with the Ale (I haven’t got a round tuit. If anyone has a spare tuit, especially a round one please pass it on to me!)
The Oak in the early 20th century
The Lassington Giant
LASSINGTON; It is one of Gloucester’s little neighbour by the Leadon, its farmyard church still keeping stones in its walls.
The base of the tower is Saxon, the rest of it Norman, and although the nave and chancel were made new in the 19th century both have still some of their ancient masonry. The arches of the porch and the chancel are Norman, decorated by the Normans with zigzag and by our English masons with ballflower of the 14th century. There is a fine oak pulpit of 1636, carved with roses and leaves, and an ancient coffin under a churchyard elm.
By the churchyard gate is a giant elm over 20 feet round, and near it a pathway runs across the fields up the hillside to a little wood where reigns another giant, the famous Lassington Oak. This venerable monarch, thought to be over 600 tears old, has a girth of 30 feet, but its arms have grown weary over the years and are supported by twenty props.
As we leave the hilltop wood a marvellous vista is revealed, with Gloucester in front of us and the spires of Cheltenham fading into the blue Cotswolds beyond.
Taken from The King’s England; Gloucestershire (April 1950)
Unfortunately the Oak is no longer standing. This year after the ale we took a mini pilgrimage out to Highnam woods to view what is left of the once mighty oak.
Lassington Lads at the Lassington Oak
Lassington Oak Morris Men 