The tree leaflet for Hampton Court Castle and Garden provides the following information:

The oldest Cedar, growing on the slopes of Mount Lebanon, is approximately 16mts in girth and estimated to be 5.500 years old. By comparison, the first Cedar to be planted in this country, in 1647, is now 10mts in girth and our largest a mere 8mts.

Our Cedars were given pet names by one of the castle’s previous inhabitants, Johnny Arkwright (1833-1905), when he was convalescing as a child and was confined to the Orangery. The largest of the Cedars was christened Julius. We think that Julius is the tree with the door into the trunk.

There are some fine specimens of Lebanon Cedars in Attingham Park but as I mentioned in a previous post, they have become quite fragile.

This spring the Cedars have cast their seeds into the wind, I have high hopes for a rebirth.

thousands of seeds from the cedars of Lebanon have been blown across the lawn leading down to the river – we will wait and see if we get any seedlings and transplant them to the nursery to grow on as replacement trees. Our cedars are unfortunately past their prime and many of them have rot inside, which is why they are fenced off with railings to prevent anyone from walking beneath.

Image copyright of Attingham Park Warden’s Blog.

It reminds me very much of my first visit to Stonehenge where I was able to look up and touch the stones. I was in awe, just being in the vicinity of such immense stones…

Throughout antiquity the cedars of Lebanon were prized above all other trees. Their fine wood was strong, straight and wonderfully scented. It was always the first choice for any temple or palace, and top value in trade was paid for it. These trees helped give the Phoenicians a high place among other nations, and became the symbol by which they and their descendants were known.