For more than thirty years I have been fortunate to earn my living photographing Britain's countryside. My work has taken me from the rolling chalk downs of southern England to the mountains of Wales, from royal estates and working farms to ancient woodlands and some of the country's most important conservation projects.

While rural, agricultural and environmental photography has always been at the heart of my career, over the past five years I have found myself increasingly drawn towards one subject above all others: Britain's ancient trees.

Perhaps it is because, as we become older ourselves, we begin to appreciate the quiet permanence of things that have stood for centuries. Ancient trees ask us to slow down. They encourage us to look beyond the obvious and to consider the history, wildlife and changing landscapes that have shaped them.

What began as an occasional photograph gradually became a personal project to document some of Britain's most remarkable trees and woodlands. Many of these photographs were taken whilst travelling the country on editorial assignments, whilst working with the Duchy of Cornwall, or during my involvement photographing trees for The Queen's Green Canopy. Others were discovered simply by exploring forgotten lanes, ancient tracks and historic landscapes, always searching for trees with a story to tell.

Every tree in this collection has earned its place.

Living Monuments in the British Landscape

Some, such as the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, are recognised throughout the world. Others are hidden away in quiet corners of Britain where relatively few people venture. Together they represent an extraordinary cross section of our natural and cultural heritage.

There are the windswept beeches of Watership Down, forever associated with Richard Adams' much loved novel. The remarkable Atlantic oak woodland of Tŷ Canol in Pembrokeshire, where twisted sessile oaks support one of Europe's richest collections of lichens and mosses. The mysterious Wistman's Wood on Dartmoor, where stunted oaks cling to granite boulders in one of Britain's last fragments of temperate rainforest. The Great Yews near Salisbury, whose immense trunks have inspired generations of folklore, and the Ancient Hampshire Track at Tidgrove Estate, where mature beeches now line a route that has been travelled since Roman times.

Each landscape tells a different story.

Ancient Trees Are Living Ecosystems

As I photographed these places, I became increasingly aware that the real importance of ancient trees extends far beyond their beauty. Veteran trees are living ecosystems. Cavities within their trunks provide homes for birds, bats and insects. Their bark supports rare lichens and fungi that have taken decades, sometimes centuries, to establish. Deadwood, often overlooked, becomes one of the richest habitats in the woodland.

These trees also connect us with our own history.

Long before the first nature reserves existed, these trees were already standing. They have witnessed changing farming practices, the enclosure of fields, the growth of villages and the passage of countless generations. Some stand beside prehistoric monuments, others overlook Roman roads or medieval churches. Their value lies not only in their age, but in the stories they continue to carry.

Photography with Purpose

My interest in photographing trees has grown alongside an increasing involvement in environmental projects and landscape restoration. At Tidgrove Estate in Hampshire, where we are restoring chalk grassland, creating new woodland and developing a long term climate resilience project, I see every day how important trees remain within a healthy landscape. They are not simply isolated specimens but vital components of wider ecosystems that support wildlife, improve soils, store carbon and help landscapes adapt to a changing climate.

Photography allows us to pause and appreciate these remarkable living monuments.

It can encourage us to look more closely at familiar landscapes, to notice the character of a veteran oak, the sculptural form of an ancient yew or the filtered light beneath a beech canopy. If these photographs inspire someone to visit an ancient woodland, support conservation or simply spend more time appreciating the trees in their own local landscape, then they have achieved far more than producing an attractive picture.

A Collection That Continues to Grow

This collection represents the beginning of that journey rather than its conclusion.

There are many more remarkable trees waiting to be discovered, photographed and understood. Britain's ancient trees remain among our greatest natural treasures and I hope these photographs help celebrate their beauty, their history and their enduring importance for generations to come.

Explore the Collection

If you have enjoyed reading the stories behind these remarkable trees, you may like to explore the complete Tree Print Collection, featuring museum quality prints of Britain's most celebrated trees and woodlands.

You can also browse our collection of Tree and Woodland Greeting Cards, celebrating Britain's native trees through beautiful illustrations and photography.

To see more of my work documenting Britain's countryside, wildlife, farming and environmental heritage, visit the Charles Sainsbury-Plaice Photography Collection.

Many of the ancient trees featured in this collection were also photographed during work associated with The Queen's Green Canopy, a nationwide initiative celebrating the importance of trees and woodlands across the United Kingdom.