The first day of the bank holiday commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II saw us visiting Boscobel House. Boscobel House is famous as a hiding place for King Charles II when fleeing for his life after his defeat in the Civil War. He spent a night in one of priest holes in the hunting lodge.

King Charles II also spent a day hiding in a nearby Oak tree as Cromwell’s soldiers searched for him below. A descendant of the oak tree can be seen nearby in a place that would once have been covered in oak woodland. The vision of English Heritage is to repopulate the area with oak trees to reconnect the site with its heritage.

Within the house garden another Royal Connection can be found; a plaque beneath an oak tree commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

This tree seedling from the Royal Oak in the adjacent field was planted by Augustus Bishop of Lichfield as a memorial of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

The parent tree by sheltering King Charles II preserved the Royal Line from extinction.

The daughter tree commemorates the unexpectedly long reign (about 200 years later) of his illustrious successor.

English Heritage are developing the site so there is more to explore than there was previously. We were time constrained so it was not possibly to venture on the walk to the nearby White Ladies Priory.