Tucked away in a quiet woodland, an ancient oak tree has been standing for hundreds of years.

       It has survived storms, droughts, and a changing environment. But while the tree is often celebrated for its beauty, it also has a dark history.

       Old Knobbley is an 800-year-old oak in Furze Hill Woodland near Mistley in Essex and was listed as one of the UK's best “Off the Beaten Track Locations” by Jeep.

       The tree gets its name thanks to its knotted trunk and scarred bark, but it’s the spooky and dark history surrounding it that draws visitors from around the country.

       During the English Civil War, the notorious Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, hunted suspected witches across East Anglia, EssexLive reported.

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       According to local legend, some of those accused sought refuge beneath Old Knobbley’s branches.

       Hopkins, a self-proclaimed witch-hunter, claimed to be on an official mission from the government, though he had no real authority.

       Instead, he used fear and superstition to profit from small communities.

       Between 1644 and 1646, Hopkins and his assistant John Stearne oversaw the executions of around 300 women - more than half of all recorded witchcraft executions in England’s history.

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       His brutal methods included stabbing women with blunt knives to check for a "witch’s mark" and throwing suspects into ponds to see if they floated, which was believed to be proof of witchcraft.

       Terrified of Hopkins’ cruelty, some women reportedly fled to Furze Wood to hide beneath Old Knobbley’s wide branches.

       Locals still whisper about the ghosts of those wrongly accused, said to haunt the woods to this day.

       Despite its grim past, Old Knobbley is now a cherished local treasure. It stands at 4.3 metres tall, with a massive trunk measuring 9.5 metres around.