Featuring giant redwood / giant sequoia. Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. There are a couple of Giant Redwood and a Dawn Redwood beside the river in Stratford upon Avon. If you park near the recreation ground you will find the Dawn Redwood on an island by the brick foot bridge. One of the Giant Redwood is near the chain ferry which will take you across the river for 50p (2013). It was built in 1937 and it was the last of its sort to be made and used in Britain. The chain is wound manually and you may be able to have a go at the crank yourself. Another Giant Redwood is further along the same side of the bank in Holy Trinity churchyard where William Shakespeare was buried, although this will have to wait for another visit for measurements and photographs. An enjoyable circular walk can be taken from Welford upon Avon into Stratford, firstly alongside the river passing through Luddington where two more Giant Redwoods can be found in All Saints churchyard. Further along, the footpath very interestingly goes through the bottom of people's back gardens. All of the gardens have kept the footpath in trim, although some have been well manicured, one even had a woodland feel with steps up and down. If you are returning to Welford on Avon you might like to take the Greenway, a disused railway line which has been converted to a cycle and walking path.
Visit information
- Access
- Access unknown
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/stratforduponavon2.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
Field observations
Photos
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Redwood at Stratford upon Avon - beside the River Avon
About this place
About Stratford upon Avon - beside the River Avon
Stratford upon Avon - beside the River Avon is located in Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, 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.
Data sourced from Redwood World (redwoodworld.co.uk) and enriched by Redwood Finder.