The Royal Oak was an English oak tree where the future king of England, Charles II, hid to escape the Roundheads after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tree was located in Boscobel Wood, which was part of Boscobel House's park. In 1680, Charles told Samuel Pepys that while he was hiding in the tree, a soldier from the Parliament passed directly below it. The story became popular after the Restoration and is celebrated every year as part of the English tradition called Royal Oak Day.

History

After King Charles' Royalist army was defeated by Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army at the Battle of Worcester, the king fled with Lord Derby, Lord Wilmot, and other royalists. They sought shelter at White Ladies Priory and Boscobel House.

Charles was first taken to White Ladies Priory by Charles Giffard, a cousin of the owner, and his servant Francis Yates. Yates was the only person executed for his role in the escape. The Penderel family, who were tenants and servants of the Giffard family, helped guide and care for the king. Charles was disguised as a woodman by Giffard and the Penderel family. From White Ladies Priory, Richard Penderel led the king on an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Severn River near Madeley, Shropshire. When this failed, Charles moved to Boscobel House.

On September 6, 1651, Charles met William Careless, a royalist who had escaped the battlefield. Careless suggested hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House. Charles and Careless spent the day hiding in a pollarded oak tree, later called the Royal Oak. From the tree, they saw Parliamentary soldiers searching for the king. Later, Charles hid in one of Boscobel's priest holes. He was then moved to Moseley Old Hall, a Catholic refuge near Wolverhampton, and eventually escaped by pretending to be the servant of Jane Lane of Bentley. Jane’s family also owned land at Broom Hall and the Hyde in Brewood.

After King Charles was restored to the throne in 1660, he gave the Penderel family annual payments for their help during the escape. He also honored William Careless by making him a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber and granting him a new surname, Carlos, and a new coat of arms. The Penderel family and Colonel Careless used coats of arms showing an oak tree and three royal crowns, with different colors.

Large ceramic dishes called "chargers," made by Thomas Toft of Staffordshire, depicted the Boscobel Oak. The oak is shown being held up by a lion and a unicorn, with the king’s face visible in the branches.

Current situation

The tree is located near Boscobel House. However, unlike the house, the tree is not owned by English Heritage. The field where the tree grows is owned and farmed by Francis Yates Partners. They allow the public to walk along a path from the house's garden to see the tree.

The tree that stands there today is not the original Royal Oak. Historical records show that the original tree was destroyed during the 1600s and 1700s by visitors who took pieces of it as souvenirs. The current tree is believed to be a descendant of the original Royal Oak, about 200 to 300 years old. It is called "Son of Royal Oak." In 2000, this tree was seriously damaged during a strong storm and lost many branches. In September 2010, it was discovered to have large, dangerous cracks. Since 2011, the tree has been protected by a fence around it to keep visitors safe.

Three trees that are descendants of the Royal Oak have been planted nearby in special ceremonies:

• In 1897, a tree was planted on the western edge of Boscobel House’s garden by Augustus Legge, who was the bishop of Lichfield at the time. This tree honored the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
• In 1951, another tree was planted near the original Royal Oak’s site by Orlando Bridgeman, 5th Earl of Bradford, who owned Boscobel House. This tree marked the 300th anniversary of King Charles II’s escape.
• In 2001, an oak sapling grown from one of the Son of Royal Oak’s acorns was planted by King Charles III, who was then the Prince of Wales.

Saplings that are confirmed to have grown from the Son of Royal Oak’s acorns are available for purchase at the English Heritage shop near Boscobel House.

Because of the tree’s importance in British history, many places and items have been named after the Royal Oak. For example, "The Royal Oak" is the third most common name for pubs in Britain. Also, eight warships in the Royal Navy have been named HMS Royal Oak.