The Legend of the Chained Oak: Dimmingsdales' Iron Yarn

As with all the best uncanny tales, this one starts on a cold and dark evening.   Autumn, early 19^th Century, as the late Georgian era was soon to flow into the Victorian.  A local nobleman travelling home on a carriageway through the damp woods was stopped by an old woman by the side of the track.  With the coach and horses stationary on the track by the side of a large tree, the old woman begged the nobleman for spare coins.  Dismissing both the old woman and her request, the nobleman ordered the driver to immediately carry on journey.  However, before making their way, the angered woman pointed to the large tree and placed a curse on the nobleman and his family – that for every branch that fell from the tree, a member of his family would perish.  Brushing off the old woman and her curse, the nobleman drove on toward his destination.

Soon after, a thunderous storm fell upon the area, violent enough to break free a limb from that large oak by the side of the carriageway. As the curse promised, a member of the nobleman’s family died unexpectedly later that night.

Horrified and fearful that the old woman’s words actually proved to hold power, the nobleman ordered his servants to chain the branches of that old oak tree, preventing any further curse related fatalities in his family.

And thus began one of Staffordshire’s most famous folktales – The Legend of the Chained Oak

The Chained Oak, Dimmingsdale

Now, this oak tree does exist, thought to be around 700 years old.  And so do the chains wrapped on its’ limbs.  And the nobleman referred to in the story above also existed – being the Earl of Shrewsbury who owned nearby Alton Towers.

What is less certain is the definitive reason the chains were placed there and which, if any, details of the accounts are true.  Depending on which source referred to, the event took place in 1821 or in the 1830’s and involved either the 15^th or 16^th Earl of Shrewsbury.  Additionally, accounts exist telling of an oak branch falling on the Earl’s son as he passed under the tree on horseback.

An even older account from around the 1770’s tells the tale of a celebration held in a newly opened ballroom in Alton Towers.  An old Gypsy man appeared at the party, requesting a small financial reward for the reading of the party guests’ fortunes.  Once again, the request was rebuked and the old stranger cast out, but not before placing the same oak related curse on the then current Earl.

An article from a Stoke newspaper in the 1920’s may shed more light on the story.  It references Lord Shrewsbury ordering the oak’s limbs to be supported by iron chains.  The timeline from the article would make this the 19^th or 20^th Earl of Shrewsbury.  The article does not give a definitive reason for the chains on this particular oak, other than to support them.

The Chained Oak, Dimmingsdale

So, we have some truths surrounding the oak, but some mysteries still persist.  The stone steps leading to the oak are another example – there are no records of their origin.  19^th century maps do donate the steps, but the date and originator of their construction is not known.

And while the mystery lingers, the legend lives on.  Indeed, the nearby theme park Alton Towers Resort opened a ride in 2000 called Hex, based of the Legend of the Chained Oak (although Towers’ further alternate tale has the Earl bring the fallen branch home to the Towers – can you take liberties with an already liberal tale?).

The Chained Oak still attracts many visitors each year.  And the carriageway which tracks past the Chained Oak (originally running from Alton Towers to St. Giles’s Church in Cheadle) still remains to this day – and has it’s own tales. 

The track by the Chained Oak is documented on maps as Barbary Gutter.  There are accounts of a headless-horseman riding a white horse down the track.  And also, a tale of a Boggart at some unknown point along the carriageway, although thought to reside under a bridge along the way.  And if you give such things credence, there is a ley-line very close by, running midway between the Chained Oak and Lord’s Bridge, over the River Churnet, across Rainroach Rock, and ever onward.

Barbary Gutter, Dimmingsdale

The Legend of Chained Oak and surrounding Dimmingsdale – story upon story, mystery upon mystery…. as with all the best uncanny tales