Clements Wood, on the outskirts of Larne, received a special boost with the creation of a Royal Oak Grove in December 2004. With a helping hand from local schoolchildren and Larne Borough Council, the oak grove was planted as a tribute to the late Queen Mother. The oak saplings, which now form the Royal Oak Grove, were grown from acorns collected in the grounds of Glamis Castle, Scotland.
From little acorns
Alderman Roy Beggs masterminded the collection of the acorns. He explained: “In the autumn of 2002, I contacted an official at Glamis Castle, the Queen Mother’s former home in Scotland, asking for permission to collect up to 600 acorns from underneath the giant oaks on the royal estate, to create a permanent, living memorial to the Queen Mother.” He added: “By the summer of 2003 we had around 600 young saplings grown from acorns . . . and now, during National Tree Week, they are ready to be planted out in the Royal Oak Grove.”
Royal seal of approval
The oak grove was given the royal seal of approval in June 2005, when Princess Anne visited the wood and planted the final tree. Press release
