One tree suggested as a hanging tree is outside Hezlett House at Castlerock, a National Trust property. The story was never of a hanging, but of the threat of this grim fate, and even this is denied by the family. The Hezlett House tree is an old sweet chestnut, now on the grassy roadside verge […]
Hanging Trees
In the search for historic trees, hanging trees were mentioned but none were identified absolutely. Some must have existed to be remembered in folk lore, associated with conflict such as 1641 and 1798, but few such trees have survived.
The dramatic time of the 1798 rebellion had hanging trees, but more happily is associated with ‘Liberty Trees’ planted to celebrate and to express admiration for liberation achieved in the French Revolution and the American War of Independence which had many participants of Ulster origin.
The Liberty Tree
At Roughfort near Mallusk in Co Antrim is a tree which carries all this history. Local historians link this tree to the 1798 United Irishmen uprising, Roughfort being one of the assembly, points prior to marching on to the Battle of Antrim. Newtownabbey Borough Council in conjunction with local historians is currently, promoting a book […]