It is almost impossible to provide an accurate age for a coppiced tree, however this oak (Quercus spp.) offers a few clues. The height of the coppice stool – the base from which the two stems grew – indicates multiple cycles of cutting and regrowth. It has then had many decades to regrow into a full-sized tree. 300 – 400 years old is a reasonable guesstimate.
photo: © Fran Halsall