A LANDMARK tree in Ludlow has been nominated for a national accolade.

Every year, the Woodland Trust runs the Tree of the Year competition.

The three Ludlow councillors on Shropshire Council, Andy Boddington, Vivienne Parry and Tracey Huffer decided to put forward the horse chestnut at St Julian’s Well as a candidate.

Among the aims in entering the competition are to publicise the tree and its friendship with the ancient well.

If the tree is shortlisted and gains 1,000 votes, then there is a £500 “Tree LC” pamper package. The main prize is a £1,000 package.

“We recognise that we need to work harder at ensuring the long term future of St Julian’s Well and started that process last May,” said Andy Boddington.

“But action stalled because we didn’t have a scheme that suited the setting of a heritage asset. Nominating the tree has helped focus our minds. We will be talking to highways engineers and heritage experts in the coming months to ensure that the well is protected and there is a need to look at the tree too.

“I am not a tree expert but its leaves are beginning to shows signs of disease.

"One idea we have for the prize money, should the tree win, is to produce a ‘notable trees of Ludlow’ leaflet. We’ll let you know how we get on."

The tree is a horse chestnut and stands more than more than 100 feet tall in the middle of a suburban street, Livesey Road.

It is growing on a traffic island created when the road was laid out after the Second World War. The road was split to go either side of the tree and its partner, St Julian’s Well. This holy well was once within the medieval Augustinian Friary precinct. It also fed the White Conduit in Ludlow town centre and was for centuries a key part of Ludlow’s water supply.

The tree and the well are inseparable. The roots have grown into the well and the swelling girth of the tree is at least partly responsible for the well cover sagging.

Andy Boddington believes that the tree is probably at maximum height and spread now. In the autumn, the tree supplies conkers for children who live in the nearby Sandpits areas.

It is not known if the tree was planted or has self-seeded.