"This tree was grown from an acorn brought to New Zealand by the Prout brothers in 1864. The acorn was from the then very old Cowthorpe Oak, one of the oaks mentioned in the Doomsday Book as a landmark in the Vale of York" (FRI Historic and Notable Trees Northland and Auckland by S.W. Burstall). The tree, known as the Runciman Oak, is located above the S.H.1 Motorway Drury onramp north, and the construction of the onramp in the 1960s may have contributed to the significant dieback in the tree. Due to the concern that the tree may die, the local community members worked with Transit N.Z. (NZTA) to collect acorns to grow on and plant on either side of the motorway. The Specimen Tree Company collected acorns in 1995, and the first planting which involved the community was in 1998. Due to damage by mowing contractors, many of these oaks did not survive, so further acorn collection and planting occurred in the early 2000s. The oaks trees growing around the Runciman Oak along the boundary fence are thought to be prodigy of the Oak. Some of these trees are now overgrowing the Runciman Oak and should be removed.