One Tom Davenport has decided to hunt down the real King Of Limbs: a tree growing in Savernake Forest in England. This massive oak, about 1,000 years old, is reportedly one of the most ancient trees in Europe. Having promised to reveal the tree's location to interested parties, Tom has also posted some related trivia on his blog:
- Oak trees only become this old because of the cutting technique called 'pollarding', where the tree is cut at a certain height & allowed to re-grow, while the stump gets fatter and fatter.
- The name can’t be as old as the tree, which was referred to in this way only when it developed characteristic 'limbs'.
- The local forest warden & residents are concerned about Radiohead fans damaging the forest while looking for the tree. The area is private.
- The tree is a traditional village boundary. Historically, large stumps were used as boundaries because they couldn’t be picked up & moved around like signposts could.
- The roof of the stables at Tottenham House - where some of In Rainbows (& possibly some of King of Limbs) was recorded - has recently had all the lead stolen, presumably resulting in torrential leaks.
Sourced at Radiohead: The King of Limbs
