Featuring giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. The Old School House on South Street in Great Waltham has this lovely Giant Redwood bordering its front garden. The owner described how the council had insisted that the driveway was not built with concrete underneath the gravel so that the tree's roots were not starved of air. It is good to see a council taking care of its tree heritage, and the owner seemed pleased to receive such useful advice. The house has a plaque that indicates it was built in 1891, and the owner suggested that this may be when the tree was planted. Judging by the tree's size this seems quite plausible. Thanks to Jan who wrote to say " I am from Australia and am researching my husband's ancestors from Great Waltham born during the late 1800's. I came across your website with the photo of the redwood tree at the Great Waltham School house. I have attached a photo of the family home taken in the late 1800's or early 1900's with the young Redwood tree in the foreground. John Robert Sydes was the Schoolmaster in Great Waltham with Catherine Sydes and their family of 11 or 12 children. " It is really good to hear the history and to see a photograph of this tree when it was younger, it has certainly grown some! Many thanks Jan.
Visit information
- Access
- Restricted access
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/greatwaltham2.htm
Redwood species here
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in parts of their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Present. Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume
Native to the fog belt of coastal California and Oregon, coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth. In Britain they thrive where rainfall, humidity, and sheltered woodland conditions echo their native range, forming narrow, soaring avenues and groves with reddish fibrous bark and flat fern-like foliage.
Present. The tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods can exceed 100 metres in their native California. Less common in Britain than giant sequoias, they prefer sheltered, moist locations and can still reach impr
Dawn redwood is a deciduous redwood from China, known from fossils before living trees were documented in the 1940s. It reached British collections soon afterwards and is now found in parks, botanic gardens, and arboreta, where its soft summer foliage and rusty autumn colour make it distinct from evergreen giant sequoias and coast redwoods.
Present. A deciduous conifer thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote Chinese province in 1941. Seeds were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide in the late 1940s. Unlike its evergreen relativ
Field observations
Photos
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Redwood at Great Waltham - The Old School House
About this place
About Great Waltham - The Old School House
Great Waltham - The Old School House is located in Great Waltham, Essex, England.
Species Present
Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
The tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods can exceed 100 metres in their native California. Less common in Britain than giant sequoias, they prefer sheltered, moist locations and can still reach impressive heights in the UK. The tallest known coast redwood in Britain is over 50 metres.
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
A deciduous conifer thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote Chinese province in 1941. Seeds were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide in the late 1940s. Unlike its evergreen relatives, the dawn redwood loses its needles in winter, turning a striking copper-bronze in autumn.
Access
This location may have restricted access. Please check with the property before visiting.
Data sourced from Redwood World (redwoodworld.co.uk) and enriched by Redwood Finder.