Chained Oak

The Chained Oak is an ancient tree believed to be around 700 years old, located near the village of Alton in Staffordshire, England. Known locally as "The Old Oak," it stands beside a public footpath just to the left of the Chained Oak B&B and is the focus of a well-known local legend involving the Earl of Shrewsbury and a mysterious beggar.

According to the most familiar version of the tale, one autumn evening the Earl of Shrewsbury was traveling home to Alton Towers when his coach was halted by an old woman standing in the road. She begged him for a coin, but he callously refused her request. In response, the woman declared a curse: for every branch that fell from the Old Oak, a member of his family would die. Ignoring the warning, the Earl ordered the coach onward.

That same night, a violent storm broke one of the tree’s branches. Soon after, a member of the Earl’s family died under sudden and unexplained circumstances. Alarmed by the apparent truth of the curse, the Earl reportedly commanded his servants to wrap chains around every remaining branch of the tree to prevent any others from falling. The chains remain in place to this day.

Though the legend’s core remains consistent, several variations exist. In one version, it was an old man who placed the curse. Another tells that instead of a storm, the Earl’s son was riding past the tree the next day when a branch fell on him, killing him instantly. A third version, invented for the Hex – The Legend of the Towers attraction at Alton Towers theme park, claims that the Earl brought the fallen branch back to his home and conducted secret experiments in an effort to break the curse.

Different accounts assign the events to different time periods, which affects the possible identity of the Earl in question. BBC Stoke and Staffordshire place the legend in 1821, suggesting Charles Talbot, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury. The Alton Towers Heritage team suggests the 1840s, identifying John Talbot, the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury.

John Talbot, remembered as “Good Earl John,” was known for his generosity. He supported local education, funded churches and Catholic chapels across the Midlands, and built almshouses for the poor in Alton. His charitable legacy contrasts with the cold-hearted figure described in the legend.

Both the 15th and 16th Earls were responsible for building and expanding Alton Towers and its gardens. While thousands of new trees were planted during their tenure, older trees were especially valued. The Chained Oak stood in a prominent spot beside a well-used carriage road, and it is possible the chains were added simply to support and preserve the aging tree, rather than to protect against a curse.