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The romantic reason this tree was crafted into the shape of a letter


A unique tree has captured hearts in England, after it was crafted into an N-shape to woo a woman called Nellie almost 100 years ago.

The beech tree was crowned England’s Tree of the Year and is a popular site for modern day proposals.

Nellie’s Tree at Aberford near Leeds was formed by a man named Vic Stead who grafted three beech saplings into the shape of N to court a young lady called Nellie.

The tree was on the way from the old colliery railway to see Nellie. The tree so impressed her, that the pair went on to marry.

Nellie joins an impressive giant redwood in Northern Ireland, a spruce in which children play in Scotland and an oak that may once have hidden a king in Wales as winners of public votes for each nation in the Tree of the Year contest.

The tree (pictured) was crafted into an 'N' over a century ago
The tree (pictured) was crafted into an ‘N’ over a century ago. Source: Yahoo News UK

The Woodland Trust, which runs the competition, is now urging members of the public to choose an overall winner to represent the UK in the Europe-wide Tree of the Year competition.

“There was a lot of love for this northern gem,” Kaye Brennan, lead campaigner for the Woodland Trust said of the English winner said.

“Its popularity is a tale of romance and has really captured the public’s interest to poll the most votes.”

The Woodland Trust’s UK-wide competition is supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery, with $1,800 of care grants awarded to the winning trees.

The tree was grafted into an N to woo a woman named Nellie
The tree was grafted into an N to woo a woman named Nellie. Source: Yahoo News UK