Lord of the Forest

by B.B.

This is the story of a might oak from the planting of an acorn in 1272 to the death of the last branch during the 1939-45 war. During its long life the oak shelters deer, boar, a highwayman, a family of badgers, nineteenth century picnickers, a poacher and finally the soldier who plants its very last acorn to begin the cycle again.

Genres: Fiction, Nature, Natural History

127 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1976

About the author

See also Denys Watkins-Pitchford

Denys James Watkins-Pitchford MBE was a British naturalist, children's writer, and illustrator who wrote under the pseudonym "BB" and also used D.J. Watkins-Pitchford.

Denys Watkins-Pitchford was born in Lamport, Northamptonshire on the 25th July 1905. He was the second son of the Revd. Walter Watkins-Pitchford and his wife, Edith. His elder brother, Engel, died at the age of thirteen. Denys was himself considered to be delicate as a child, and because of this was educated at home, while his younger twin, Roger, was sent away to school. He spent a great deal of time on his own, wandering through the fields, and developed a love of the outdoors, which was to influence his writing. He had a great love of the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing and drawing, all these things were to influence his writing greatly. At the age of fifteen, he left home and went to study at the Northampton School of Art. He won several prizes while there, but was irked by the dry, academic approach, and longed to be able to draw from life.

While at the Northampton School of Art, Denys won a travelling scholarship to Paris. He was later to say that he could not remember how long he had spent in Paris, but Quinn suggests (p. 50) that it was probably about three months. He worked at a studio in Montparnasse, and attended drawing classes. It is unknown exactly where he studied. In the autumn of 1924, he entered the Royal College of Art in London. In 1930 he became an assistant art master at Rugby School where he remained for seventeen years. While at Rugby School he was to begin contributing regularly to the Shooting Times and start his career as an author and illustrator. He wrote under the nom de plume of '"BB"', a name based on the size of lead shot he used to shoot geese, but he maintained the use of his real name as that of the illustrator in all his books. He later illustrated books by other writers, and sold his own paintings locally.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I scavenged this water-damaged old paperback in a discard pile behind my local church, because the concept of a children's fictional biography of an tree seemed too good to pass up.

This is a wonderful story featuring a huge cast of human and animal characters over the 600-year lifespan of a single oak tree in southern England. In addition, it offers lessons about British history and people's relationships with nature.

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting, romantic read, which is strange, as the main character is a tree. Tolkienesque in sentiment, but not in style - easy to read, but doesn't talk down to the reader. A beautiful story, and one I will be holding on to.

[Saskia Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will forever find joy in reading this.

[Sarahelisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unusual book which covers the history a tree from the thirteenth to the twentieth century. This covers the social and natural history of the tree. Illustrated by woodcuts from the author.
My adventure loving 10 year old has enjoyed this book and asked for more despite it not seeming a natural choice.
For anyone who follows Charlotte Mason's educational ideas, this is most definitely a living book.

[Toby Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this as a child borrowed from the school library, and spent the next twenty years (pre internet) trying to locate a copy, a great story of a young boy who plants an acorn in medieval britain, and we follow all things that pass beneath the tree as its grows into a mighty Oak.