The Exeter Civic Society and Heavitree Park Life are developing a map of the significant trees in the Heavitree Pleasure Grounds.

The tree slice you see before you is from a felled Giant Sequoia (technically known as a Sequoiadendron giganteum). Around you will see seven of these large redwoods still growing.

In 2025 we examined the number of rings in this tree slice and counted 135 - showing that the tree was 135 years old when it was felled. This means that it was planted in 2025 less 135 = 1890.

Heavitree Pleasure Grounds were opened in 1906 (some 16 years after this tree was planted). Prior to the development of the Park it was four open fields with no trees. We were puzzled as to why this 'older' tree was present in the Park.

The puzzle was solved by a member of the Heavitree History Society who had watched this tree being cut down from a site off East Wonford Hill and who knew that several of its slices had been moved to the Pleasure Grounds.

If you enjoy the Heavitree Pleasure Grounds we would be grateful if you could answer the questions below.