The Harry Potter Tree — Attraction in West Oxfordshire

The Harry Potter Tree, Blenheim Palace Standing on the bank of The Lake in a historic landscape below Blenheim Palace is a Cedar of Lebanon known as The Harry Potter Tree for its role in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Perhaps the Harry Potter Tree should more accurately be called The Severus Snape Tree, for the scene filmed here was centred around Professor Snape's memories of a time when, as a student at Hogwarts, he was bullied by Harry Potter's father while sitting under the tree. The scene is important, for it gives us an understanding of why Snape is so hostile towards Harry.

The Harry Potter Tree, Blenheim Palace

To counter a common misunderstanding, the Harry Potter Tree at Blenheim is not the Whomping Willow! The tree used for the Whomping Willow in the films stood on the National Trust's Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire. And, just to confuse things further, it was not a willow at all, but a yew.

The tree's hollow opening

Sadly, that tree suffered at the hands of over-enthusiastic fans who climbed its branches and cut away pieces as souvenirs. The tree died, leaving Blenheim's Harry Potter Tree as the only surviving tree that had a major role in the popular film series.

Cables support the tree's upper branches

To protect the tree and make sure that it did not suffer the same fate as the Ashridge tree, Blenheim estate has put up a wicker fence around the sides and back of the tree and stretched a chain across the front. A team of specialist tree surgeons also attached cables to the tree's upper branches to stabilise it and protect it...

It's a beacon erected purely for the Platinum Jubilee so not sure why it's tagged as The Harry Potter Tree as it's anything but. The staging of the event was marred by the rude and ignorant "toffs" who felt it was their right to stand where they liked regardless of the fact that people were already standing there. Don't get me started on the Lord as he was one of the worst culprits along with his presumably son and daughter (hate to think how they'll turn out in years to come following...

It's a tree - and contrary to what has been stated it IS free to visit IF... you get an OS map and follow the bridle way both onto and through the Blenheim estate. However if you intend to stray off the bridle-way you are technically trespassing and should buy a ticket, and to be fair there's lots to see around the...