Matthew J. Thomas

Sussex UK based freelance photographer, qualified ecologist, likes trees, loves Jesus

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

These Holm Oaks remind me of a Constable painting on a frosty winter day. The track on the way to Great Barn Farm

#wInter
#Landsacape
#LoveTrees
#frost
#Sussex

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

What a wonderful place to live! Overlooking the Weald from the scarp slop of the South Downs, Sussex.@SussexLifeMag

#southdowns #Sussex #winterlandscape #trees #naturephotography #ilovenature #sussexcounty #YourShotPhotographer

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

A clump of eight gnarled, old Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) in a field just south of Comphurst Wood, in the grounds of Herstmonceaux Castle. These Chestnuts were once part of a linear planting that followed the route of the medieval, northern approach. #tree_enthusiast

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

A big 'thank you' to @AshburnhamPlace for giving permission for me to photograph this magnificent Black Walnut. At 4m girth it must be about 300 years old. It's the biggest of its kind in Sussex and in the top 20 in the UK! @AncientTreesATF @WoodlandTrust

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

The Glottenham Oak, a 750 year old English #Oak with a 8m+ girth. It was a seedling when Glottenham Castle was built by the Etchingham family in the 13th Century. The castle has long gone, but the tree survives! @glottenhamfarm

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

These amazing #Yew trees at 'Rock Walk’, #Wakehurst have extraordinary, exposed root systems which sprawl across the Ardingly Sanstone rock outcrops - well worth a look. @AncientYewGroup

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

Found on a farm in Udimore, this was once the largest Wild Service Tree left in Britain - now collapsed but still surviving as a shattered fragment. Wild Service are usually confined to ancient and undisturbed primary woodland and rarely reproduce from seed in today's climate.

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

@djgwild Looks like the famed Appledram Field Maple??

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

Brand new discovery! At a massive 5.5m in circumference this is the largest single stemmed Goat Willow in Sussex. It grows by Buncton Stream, #Wiston. It's no 233483 in the ancient tree inventory (waiting verification) @WoodlandTrust #thicktrunktuesday

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

This Beech tree looks to be actually at least two, perhaps four trees which have fused together into an extraordinary 'wall' of trunk. It's on a field boundary south of the Colemans Hatch Road, Hartfield, East Sussex. It's no. 7018 in the ancient tree inventory @WoodlandTrust

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

This huge Beech is known as 'The King of the Forest by the locals and it's not hard to see why - one of the biggest crowns of any Beech I've seen! It's in High Wood, near Burwash, & no. 157157 in the ancient tree inventory. @WoodlandTrust @highweald

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

This monster Beech tree grows on an old boundary bank just north of Forest Grange in St Leonards Forest. At 9.5m it's the second largest single stemmed #Beech in Sussex! @WilderHorsham @WoodlandTrust @AncientTreesATF

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

This Sweet Chestnut grows on Lawn Hill, #Petworth Park. Despite a girth of 8.47m it's probably only about 200 years old, because the hill was extensively remodelled by Capability Brown in 1795 - Chestnut grow fast! It's the 8th largest Chestnut in Sussex. @PetworthNT @PetworthUK

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

The Welcome Oak, Petwoth Park. The combined girth of the 2 pieces is 8.85m, making it the 6th largest English Oak in #Sussex. Older than Salisbury Cathedral and a sapling when the Magna Carta was signed, it's no. 58573 in the ancient tree inventory @PetworthNT @PetworthUK

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

The Home Park Oak, a massive English Oak with a girth of just over 27 feet. It began life in the wilds of the manorial outwood of Petworth at the beginning of the 13th century but is now cared for by the @nationaltrust. It's no. 58569 in the Ancient Tree Inventory @WoodlandTrust

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

Giant Sequoia, Buxted Park. With a girth of 8.9m it's the 28th biggest tree in #Sussex, but nowhere near the oldest - the very first Sequoia seeds were brought to the UK from California by W. Lobb in 1853. But it has a way to go to beat the General Sherman @ 24.1m! @WoodlandTrust

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

This massive ancient #yew at Buxted churchyard in East #Sussex is over 26ft in circumference. Nobody seems to be able to agree how old it is but it was certainly around during the crusades and may well predate the Magna Carta @AncientTreesATF @WoodlandTrust

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

I call this Sweet Chestnut 'the Cowdray Heffalump' (the Cowdray Elephant is another Chestnut not far away). Despite being 8.2m in circumference, there are at least 11 larger Chestnuts in Sussex, all 'only' about 300 years old. @WoodlandTrust @AncientTreesATF #thicktrunktuesday

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

@RGE_Art The Cowdray Elephant on the A272 to Petworth, if I'm not mistaken!

[Matthew J. Thomas @MatthewJThomas_]

@keeper_of_books Looks like a nice clump of Butcher's Broom next to your mum!