Reprieve for monkey puzzle tree bought by founders of The Bowes Museum

Tree surgeon Mark Lister with the monkey puzzle tree trunk

A TREE bought by the founders of The Bowes Museum has been saved by a last minute reprieve.
The 65 feet high monkey puzzle tree planted more than 140 years ago in the museum grounds was shed of its branches last week. But a public outcry and advice from a tree surgeon has convinced museum officials to keep the trunk for the time being. 
Branches of the Chilean pine had become rotten during  the last couple of years and their fate was sealed when debris started threatening parked cars on the road below. Grounds manager Jon Old said the decision to save the trunk could offer another point of interest.
“We will leave it for as long as needed,” he added. “The branches were falling off and presenting a danger to people – we didn’t want to leave it over the winter.”
Mark Lister, from Hamsterley Tree Surgeons, lopped off the branches last Monday. He confirmed the tree had died but was sure the “totem pole” trunk was safe for the time being.
“I was only having to cut three or four inches into the branches and they were falling away,” said Mr Lister.
“Left as it is – it’s not going to blow over as the parachute effect from the branches is greatly reduced.
“If they monitor the trunk every year it will make sure it’s still safe – even if it’s just a few years of interest it’s probably worth it, it’s like an exhibition in itself.”
Many generations of Teesdale children played around the tree during its lifetime. Mr Old revealed the 19th century arrival of the South American evergreen wasn’t cheap.
“Given its height we would reckon it is approximately 170 years old,” he said. “It was more expensive than any of the paintings in the museum collection when it was bought. There is talk of replacing the old dead one so we will always have two.”
The tree was 14 feet high when planted by Josephine Bowes in 1871 and was one of only a few in the country at the time.
A neighbouring Chilean pine planted in 1981 by then curator Elizabeth Conran will continue to offer a “live” example of the species.
Members of Barnard Castle’s planning committee had backed moves to tear down the tree early last week.
Cllr John Yarker said: “This has been done properly – they’ve taken advice.
“It’s a Chilean pine not native to this country. Even with comments not being taken we would have probably approved it anyway.”