Tree of the Year 2023: Wrexham's 'party tree' wins the title - with 'Hollywood style' celebration planned

A 480-year-old sweet chestnut in Acton Park has wrangled Wrexham the prestigious UK Tree of the Year title - on the back of the Welsh city's fairytale football league success.

The winning tree, famous amongst locals as a centrepiece for picnics and tree parties, secured 17% of the overall votes in the Woodland Trust's annual competition - and will now go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest.  This year's competition focused on celebrating ancient and veteran trees in our towns, cities and urban spaces.

Previous winners of the prestigious title included the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall, which took the title in 2016 before it was illegally felled in September 2023, and Sherwood Forest's Major Oak - said to have been the resting place of Robin Hood himself.

Jack Taylor, lead campaigner for Woods Under Threat at the Woodland Trust, said the party tree's win was well-deserved. "The sweet chestnut in Wrexham’s Acton Park is a symbol of resilience in the city, having survived many storms and other threats," he said.

"This almost 500-year-old giant is celebrated and loved by locals for its beauty and history and it now has the claim to fame of being a Tree of the Year winner. A true icon.”

The success for the city comes hot on the heels of Wrexham celebrating its return to league football after 15 years. The sweet chestnut of Acton Park has become a reliable fixture in the local landscape, withstanding many challenges during its half-millennium - from post-war plundering of the park for firewood in the forties to dozens of deadly storms - including in 2021 when many neighbouring trees lost limbs or were toppled completely.  

Wrexham County Borough Council's environment department spokesman Hugh Jones said they would like to thank the people of Wrexham and the wider population who took the time to vote. "It goes to show that the Wrexham Sweet Chestnut has inspired people for so many years and is now getting some well-deserved recognition.” 

Eleven trees were shortlisted for the competition in total, all of which were loved by locals and boasted fascinating stories, including the Holm Oak in Devon which survived the destruction of the Exeter Blitz in 1942.  

The Crouch Oak in Surrey, known as the Queen Elizabeth picnic tree after the monarch was said to have dined beneath it, placed second in the competition, accumulating 14% of the overall votes, whilst a twisted Sweet Chestnut in Greenwich Park, planted in King Charles II’s honour, finished close behind with 13% of votes.