A Penn Charter-era red oak that had existed in Collingdale for hundreds of years was taken down Thursday and Friday after it was diagnosed with two fatal fungal diseases, writes Pete Bannon for the Daily Times.

The huge oak was six feet across and 228 inches around.  It stood at the corner of Clifton and Beechwood avenues.

Tree surgeons from Executive Tree Care in Sharon Hill felled the tree after it had dropped a huge branch last week. 

Arborist Jeremy Sirkin, owner of Executive Tree Care, estimated the tree was over 300 years old,  planted during the time of William Penn between 1682 and 1718.

Trees this large are rare. Another possible Penn Charter tree came down this year on Drexel Avenue in Haverford Township.

A third came down near Longwood Gardens in September.

Crews worked two days to take it down. Sections of the trunk weighed 5,000 to 10,000 pounds, Sirkin said.

“My wife was crying the night before (it came down).,” said tree owner Jonathan Bowles. “She loved this tree. She called it Elgereth. She would come out here sometimes and just hang out.”

Find out more about this Penn Charter-era red oak in Collindale and local reactions to its coming down in the Daily Times.