T1 - Sycamore - a mature maiden sycamore on the southern boundary of the field to south of the main drive from Dorchester High Street to Bishops Court Farm. The tree contains a number of large diameter pieces of deadwood, some of which are overhanging the neighbouring residential property. There are also a number of partially occluded cavities and areas of decay within the stem and at the point of crown break, some of which extend down into the main stem. It appears as though the tree has been heavily pruned in the past and there has been subsequent poor wound occlusion and decay below old branch sockets. The recommendation is to remove major deadwood and to reduce the crown by 2-3m to rebalance it, reduce the sail area and reduce weight on lateral branches. This also gives the opportunity to inspect the extent of the cavities and the structural integrity of the surrounding wood.

Bishop Court Farm, 93 High Street, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HP