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Are they really that old?
Most tree publications since 1900 have accepted that our
oldest yews can exceed 1000 years. It is not possible to
determine how many yews can be correctly placed in this category.
Only in Allen Meredith’s Gazetteer of Ancient Yews
(appendix 3 in The Sacred Yew) are estimated ages given
for about 400 trees. Hopefully as new research techniques are developed
and funded we might move one step closer to the answer.
1908 “Numerous specimens are known
to exceed 1000 years………..”
W.Dallimore Holly, yew and box
1914 “…the age of trees 30ft
in girth must be well over 1,000 years.
W.J.Bean Trees and Shrubs (hardy in the British
Isles)
1936 “………..there
is no doubt that these very old trees have lived for more than a
millennium.”
A.W.Holbrook Dictionary of British wayside
trees
1966 “Taxus trees are long lived…….certainly
it is several thousands of years.”
Boom and Kleijn The glory of the tree
1979 “It is generally conceded that
some of the ancient yews locally reputed to be more than 1000 years
old may well be that age.”
R.Whitlock Historic forests of England
1981 “The oldest….is now 1500
at a very conservative estimate.”
G.Wilkinson A history of Britain’s trees
1984 “Many of these over 2.5m in
diameter…must be in the region of 1,500 years old while some
bigger boles may be nearer 3,000 years old.”
A.Mitchell and J.Jobling Decorative trees HMSO
Forestry Commission
Equally wide ranging views are expressed in the most recent yew
publications:
J.Daryll Evans The Yew Trees of Gwent 1988
Hal Hartzell, Jr. The Yew Tree: 1000 whispers
1991
Trevor Baxter The Eternal Yew 1992
Chetan and Brueton The Sacred Yew 1994
Ken Mills Cumbrian Yew Book 1999
Robert Bevan-Jones The Ancient Yew 2002
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
How are they able to last
that long? (Red type indicates
illustrative photo in gazetteer)
“It is the toughest, most indestructable and longest lived
tree we have.”
A.Mitchell and J.Jobling HMSO Forestry Commission
1984
* Once it has reached a certain size it can put out new shoots
from the base of the trunk. As these develop they coalesce with
the main trunk, appearing as ‘fluting’, or ridges around
all or part of the trunk. Sometimes these become thick enough to
support the tree in the form of ‘buttressing’. When
the original trunk decays this ‘secondary’ growth forms
the new tree.
* While the centre of a yew is rotting a branch may put down a root
into the decaying material, so that in decay new life is being provided
for. This phenomenon can be seen in many yews and is variously described
as ‘internal stems’ or ‘internal roots’.
(eg Bettws Newydd, Linton, Llanbadarn-y-Garreg,
Llanddewi Rhydderch, Portbury, West Tisted)
* When a branch reaches the ground it can become embedded in the
soil. From this point a new tree can develop, either remaining joined
to the parent tree or living separately. Likewise a root close to
the ground may give rise to new growth at some distance from the
parent tree.
* Becoming hollow can be advantageous in giving the tree greater
flexibility, especially in windy conditions.
* The oldest yews have often become two or more ‘fragment’
trees. These may still be connected to the common origin of the
tree below ground, or each may exist in its own right as a separate
tree, doubling, tripling or even quadrupling the chances of survival.
(eg Ashbrittle, Bidborough, Fortingall,
Hemyock)
* The astonishing durability of the dead ‘white’ wood
that surrounds the decaying heartwood. This lasts so long that new
growth from the base of the tree is given decades, if not centuries
to establish itself on the ‘carapace’ before decay is
complete. In this time the new or secondary growth can become well
established.
* Yews can fall and remain alive. As long as the smallest amount
of root material remains connecting soil and tree, it can survive.(eg
Benington, Cofton Hackett, Craswall Priory,
Lee, Powick)
* The seeds are well dispersed by birds, particularly thrush and
blackbird.
* It has very few parasites, they are presumably affected by its
poisonous qualities. Cecidomyia Taxi, sometimes called the gall
midge, is the only insect to affect the yew, laying its eggs in
the leaf buds. The larvae cause swelling of the buds and the leaves
form into an ‘artichoke’. This appears to do the tree
no harm and does not appear to spread from tree to tree.
* Its thick evergreen canopy helps prevent moisture penetrating
to the trunk and allowing rot to set in.
* Only one fungus is regularly found on the yew, the yellow polyporus
sulphureus. While hastening decay it does not appear to harm
the tree.
* It can grow on almost any soil with the exception of acid peats
or in areas of poor drainage.
* Because of its great ability to produce new shoots almost anywhere
on its trunk and branches, it is able to quickly heal after damage.
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
What is the difference
between veteran and ancient?
The use of the word ancient for all yews above 500 years of age
detracts from the significance of the really old trees - those aged
over 1000 years and the few thought by some to have lasted beyond
2,000 years.
For a 500 year old yew (relatively young in yew tree terms) I prefer
to use the word veteran. But at what stage veteran become ancient
will remain a matter of personal opinion or preference. While 1000
years would seem to be a good time to celebrate becoming ancient,
since nobody knows when a yew reaches this point the distinction
between veteran and ancient remains blurred.
Many a yew is described in the church guide, local history publication
or village web site as ancient. This might be by virtue of its status
as the oldest tree in the area, or just because it looks ancient.
There is no reason why its locally accepted ‘ancient’
status should be changed.
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
Did they really make longbows
from churchyard yews?
No. The volume of yew wood needed for war archery from the early
13th to the late 16th century was far too vast to be in any logical
proportion to the wood which could have been grown in churchyards.
After all of the yew stands in Britain and Ireland had been depleted,
the English crown began to import yew wood from Spain and, after
this source was exhausted as well, turned its eyes on the trade
with the Hanse towns of the Northern and Baltic Seas. Gigantic amounts
of yew wood came from the Alpine borders via Nuremberg and the river
Rhine while the Polish tradesmen in Danzig received barge-loads
of yew wood from the depths of the eastern European woodlands, namely
in western Russia and in the Carpathian Mountains. During the first
half of the 16th century Bavaria and Austria alone exported 0.6
- 1.0
MILLION yew staves, by 1568 there was not a single yew left in Bavaria!
When Elizabeth I decreed on October 26, 1595, to replace the military
longbows with firearms, she did so because there was no tradable
yew wood left in the whole of Europe! Not because firearms were
superior. On the contrary, even at the time of the battle of Waterloo,
almost 200 years later, firearms still were no match for the fire
speed and precision of the yew longbow.
Summary: It is not true that we have ancient yews in churchyards
because of the medieval need for longbows, but that ancient yews
have survived despite the need for longbows, because of the churchyards
(where they were protected from mundane purposes).
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
Why are there none in my area?
The distribution of ancient/veteran yews in England and Wales is
uneven. I am unaware of any research that attempts to explain this.
We do know that yews grow on any soil except for acid peat, that
they thrive on chalk and limestone and can grow in exposed places.
They can tolerate harsh weather conditions and do not seem to be
affected by atmospheric pollution.
Robert Bevan-Jones describes their distribution in The Ancient Yew
p6. “Large yews with 16ft (5m) girth are rare or unknown in
Cornwall, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire
and Lincolnshire. These eastern counties are bereft of any yews
of more than 400 years of age, nor do they appear to have any historically
recorded large yews.”
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
How poisonous is the yew?
Poison is found in all parts except for the fleshy fruit.
The poison is called Taxine. “The alkaloid ephedrine, as well
as a volatile oil and traces of a cyanogenic glycoside, taxiphyllin,
are also present.” HMSO 1984
The leaves are more toxic than the seed.
(Paul Greenwood 2005)
Effect on animals
There is contradictory evidence about the effect on animals of eating
yew foliage. There are many recorded instances of animals known
to have died from grazing on yew leaves. There are also reports
of animals eating leaves without suffering any ill effects. It is
not unknown for small quantities of leaves to be added to supplement
winter fodder for cattle.
Poisonous plants in Britain and their effects on animals and
man published by the HMSO in 1984 is however unambiguous in
its advice: “……..yew should never be fed to animals…….”
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
Effect on humans
Fifty to one hundred grams of chopped leaves is considered fatal
to adults.
A world-wide investigation in 1998 (Krenzelok et al.) shows 11,197
records of yew poisoning (from all Taxus species) in humans (96.4%
in children less than 12 years old) and found no deaths. A 1992
article in Forensic Science International (Van Ingen et al.) stated
that only 10 authenticated cases of fatal human poisoning by T.
baccata had been recorded in the previous 31 years, and that they
were all deliberate.
Krenzelok, E.P., Jacobsen, T.D. & Aronis, J. (1998) "Is
the yew really poisonous to you?", Journal of Toxicology Clinical
Toxicology, 36, 219-223.
Van Ingen, G., Visser, R., Peltenburg, H., Van Der Ark, A.M. &
Voortman, M. (1992) "Sudden unexpected death due to Taxus poisoning.
A report of five cases, with review of the literature". Forensic
Science International, 56, 81-87.
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
I observed a craftsman turning wooden spindles at a lathe. When
working with yew he put on a mask with a respirator and made sure
the extractor fan was working properly. He explained that yew dust
should not be inhaled and that anyone working with yew wood should
be aware of health and safety implications.
(Paul Greenwood 2005)
What is the mythological significance
of the yew tree?
During the Bronze and Iron Ages the different cultures developed
their particular characteristics, their sets of moral and law codes,
esthetics, language, customs, and so on. As part of the process,
the ancient idea of the Tree of Life also changed to a multitude
of forms. Often, however, it remained linked with the notion of
a female deity or mother goddess. In the pre-hieroglyphic script
of ancient Egypt, for example, the term for giving birth is directly
derived from the word for tree. This shows what impact the Tree
of Life once had on philosophy. In Egypt, the mother goddess was
Hathor, and her tree, the sycomore fig (Ficus sycomorus) gave food
and life in this life, while after death the ancient Egyptian expected
to meet the goddess and her tree again to grant him eternal life.
In ancient cosmology, the Tree of Life includes the process of death.
And so it is with the yew in the northern temperate zone. Its links
with eternal life, death and rebirth are legion in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon
and Nordic traditions, as well as those in southeastern Europe and
Asia Minor. Local customs and rural traditions regarding the yew
can eventually all be traced back to these ancient concepts. Christian
churchyard traditions blended smoothly with these ancient roots,
the yew remained a symbol of eternity. The terminology, however,
changed from 'rebirth' to 'resurrection'.
By the 13th century, when the pre-Christian Nordic traditions (the
Edda) were written down by a Christian monk, the northern European
mythological image of the Cosmic Tree – Yggdrasil –
had lost a big part of the nurturing, 'female' qualities mentioned
above. Its foremost purpose now was to uphold the heavenly order
of creation, and to deliver the runes to Odin and thus to humankind.
This links Yggdrasil with the – also ancient (and international)
– traditions of the Tree of Knowledge (of Good and Evil).
The original sources identify Yggdrasil as vetgrønster vida
(= most evergreen tree) and barraskr (= needle-ash). Unfortunately,
some historians in the 19th century took this all too literally
and declared Yggdrasil an ash-tree, a 'myth' that still persists.
But the ash is not evergreen nor is it a needle-tree, not to mention
that there is no evidence whatsoever for a Scandinavian ash worship
as opposed to plenty of material regarding sacred uses of the yew.
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
What is the connection to
the Tree of Life?
The Tree of Life is a concept which can be traced back to the Neolithic
(Young Stone Age). From there it developed as part of the philosophy
of most ancient cultures, whether it be the 'high civilizations',
such as Egypt, Persia or Greece, or the more nature-based tribes
who dwelt further north. Essentially, the Tree of Life is an image
of the whole universe, or at least of planet earth, which embodies
the notion that all life is related to each other and that all that
lives is holy. Every animal, human or plant is a leaf on this tree.
The symbol of Tree of Life is strongly related to the Cosmic Tree
which has the stars as its fruits.
To serve as an 'earthly representation' of the Tree of Life, different
cultures chose different tree species, according to which species
grew in the region and – since all tree species have different
characteristics and qualities – which tree character resonated
best with the spiritual ideals emphasized by any given culture.
In early Sumer, e.g., it most probably was the cedar-of-Lebanon,
in pre-historic Persia the plane-tree served this role, while in
the depths of Siberia the birch is the World Tree of the shamanic
tradition. For the early Celts in Ireland, the Germanic tribes of
Scandinavia and Germany, and some Slavic peoples in south-western
Russia it was the yew tree. Often we find that the associations
of the sacred tree with the divine forces (no matter whether one
God or many deities) is utilized by kings to justify their claim
to the throne. Hence we find traditions like emperor's staffs or
other regalia being made of yew wood, and we find evidence linking
the yew with royalty as far afield as Ireland or Japan.
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
Why are yews
in churchyards?
Firstly, there are, of course, (ancient) yews outside churchyards
as well. But in woodlands they don't grow so big and impressive
as in churchyards because they have less light and space. Also,
Britain has lost most of its ancient woodland, and even more so,
lost most of the wild yews due to the early medieval longbow production.
Churchyards are protective enclosures. But there is much more to
it:
Investigating the yew from the viewpoint of comparative religious
studies we come across an astonishing degree of parallels in the
way this tree was perceived and treated by otherwise the most different
cultures and times. In a nutshell, we can say that the three main
themes which occur time and again in yew traditions are
a) the sacred (the yew as part of a sanctuary, or being the sanctuary,
e.g. the medieval tree sanctuary at Uppsala, Sweden; yews in Buddhist
temples and Shinto shrines in Japan)
b) death and burial rites (e.g. British Isles, Spain, France, Germany,
Poland, Russia, Japan)
c) kingship, royal family, leadership (e.g. Ireland, Russia, Japan).
In many pre-Christian religions (e.g. in ancient Greece) the yew
had been connected with the journey to the underworld, with the
gate of death and the soul's transition from this life to the next.
For all we can say, the yew was seen as a kind of protector of the
soul during this delicate process. In Druidic Britain, this was
conceived as part of the 'natural law of reincarnation' (i.e. a
soul becomes reborn on earth as another person). As an evergreen
plant the yew was a symbol for the regenerative power of nature.
As a very ancient tree indeed it was the most perfect symbol for
everlasting life. In Christianity, only the pretext changed: together
with other evergreens the yew was acknowledged as a symbol for the
Resurrection and particularly employed at Easter celebrations.
It is feasible that some of the ancient yews are older than the
adjacent church buildings because Christianity took over countless
sacred places from the previous religious traditions. In 601 Pope
Gregory advised not to destroy places of Pagan worship but to convert
them into Christian Churches.
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
Can our yew be protected by
law?
Sadly not (yet). Unlike other countries, e.g. Germany or Poland,
the UK never accepted Taxus baccata for the List of Endangered Species
on which it was put about a century ago because all its stands in
mixed woodlands are in decline (despite the yew obviously being
widely distributed in parks, gardens and churchyards). This is ironic
because the vast majority of ancient yews is to be found in Britain.
The only national option is the Tree Preservation Order (TPO) which
has to be applied for in each single case. As it stands the TPO
is not even sufficient to protect old or ancient trees of outstanding
and undisputed historical significance. Trees that are not visible
to the public, for example, are unlikely to qualify for a TPO. Also,
trees considered to be dead, dying or dangerous are specifically
excluded! Which doesn't give an ancient yew a chance because it
can always be interpreted as dying – while other parts of
it regenerate though. Even many of the 50 veteran trees (20% of
them yews) that the Tree Council has marked to celebrate the Queen's
Golden Jubilee could be ruled out from TPO protection.
Hence the Tree Council has started a campaign "calling on the
government to change this situation as it reviews current provisions
for protecting the historic environment." This is supported
by most members of the Tree Council, including The Ancient Tree
Forum, National Trust, Woodland Trust, to name but a few.
The latest Press Release of the Tree Council can be found at http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/press/historictrees.htm
We keep you informed.
(Copyright © Fred Hageneder 2005)
Where do I find a good
tree surgeon?
This is unfortunately not as straightforward as it should be. Correspondence
suggests it is a hit and miss operation. For the moment contacting
your local council tree department is the only advice we are able
to give. However we hope it will not be too long before we can present
a list of accredited tree surgeons with expertise in preserving
ancient, but healthy yews.
Our yew has died. Should
we remove it?
NO. Leave the stump just in case and replant elsewhere, perhaps
nearby.
Can I join the Ancient Yew
Group?
Development of this web site and the group that manages it depends
on the level of interest shown. If you have suggestions about how
you might become more involved in helping meet some of the aims
of the group, please let us know. We shall review the subject of
membership once the site has been running for a few months.
How do I measure a yew?
(Red type indicates photo in gazetteer)
The Tree Register of the British Isles (TROBI) and the Tree Register
of Ireland (TROI) agreed to the following main categories for their
survey work. This was published in The Tree Register’s newsletter
No 10 (2000/2001) as follows:
Caregory A: Trees growing with a clearly defined
single clean stem measured at 1.5m (eg Plymtree)
Category B: Trees growing with a clearly defined
single stem which have natural features that increase the girth
at 1.5m and have to be measured at a height other than 1.5m (eg.
East Chinnock, Edington,
Froxfield Green)
Category C: Trees growing without a clearly defined
single stem at ground level, such as multiple stems or coppice.
(eg Buxted, Llanelltyd,
Shirwell, Wilmington,
Woolland)
These categories were successfully used for a year. It was then
felt appropriate to include details of a new category:
Category D: Trees that are relics made up of separate
parts, un-measurable and/or not comparable with another tree. (eg
Dunster, Llanfihangel
Rhydithon, Llandre, Llangernyw)
Few ancient yews fit into category A. Even measurement at ground
level is not straight forward procedure:
Sloping ground (Holywell Dingle)
Uneven ground (Garthbeibio)
Soil piled against the trunk (Elworthy)
Exposed root material (Pennant Melangell2)
Leaning (Churchill in Somerset, Powick,
Llanbadarn-y-garreg)
Fallen (Benington, Cofton Hackett)
Ground level raised inside a retaining wall (Compton
Dundon, St.Dogmaels)
And where do you start at Llanvapley and
Yarpole?
John Lowe (p48) thought “the ground line is fortunately the
right place, ‘for the most aged yews’ have their trunks
deformed by knobs and excrescences that they cannot allow of comparison
anywhere else and that the stem is so covered with young spray that
it is difficult to pass a tape measure around it, except at the
ground.” He goes on to say that in some trees the ground line
exaggerates measurements because of the swelling of the roots. He
considered the best compromise to measure at the ground and also
at 3ft.
My girth recordings are not intended as a scientific record, merely
to give an idea of size. I have however found that when remeasuring
trees girth has usually varied by only a few inches.
If the purpose of measurement is to make comparisons with
the past and calculate growth rates, we need to be aware of the
many objections that can be raised to the accuracy of these comparisons.
Was it measured in the same place?
Where there is more than one tree – was the correct one measured?
Has there been soil erosion or has it been scraped away by animals,
exposing the roots?
By how much has the ground level risen in the churchyard?
Was the original tree replaced by another growing in the same place?
Is a large girth caused by two trees that have grown together?
Is there deformity caused by “knobs and excrescences?”
Have shoots, epicormic and twiggy growth or ivy affected the measurement?
Were early recordings taken by people with a vested interest in
their tree being the largest?
Some trees measured over time appear to both swell and diminish.
Has a portion of trunk been lost? Is the main growth internal?
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005)
What is the oldest yew
in my county? (Red type indicates
photo in gazetteer)
Larger girthed yews will generally be older, though this is not
the case when only a fragment of the original tree remains (eg Aldworth,
Astbury). Some of the oldest yews grow
as 2 or more fragments (eg Fortingall,
Kingston St. Mary, Llandre).
Counties with a scarcity of old yews may have relatively young trees
listed while those well endowed with ancient yews may find significant
trees omitted from this list.
* denotes a tree on private land
· Berkshire: Aldworth,
Shottesbrooke, Sunninghill,
White Waltham
· Buckinghamshire: Ankerwyke,
Ibstone, Langley,
Langley Park
· Carmarthenshire: Cilycwm
· Ceredigion: Llandre,
Strata Florida
· Cheshire: Astbury,
Eastham, Goostrey
· Conwy: Ffynnon Bedr*,
Gwytherin, Llangernyw, Llangwm
· Cumbria: Borrowdale,
Lorton, Martindale,
Old Church
· Derbyshire: Allestree, Darley Dale, Doveridge
· Denbighshire: Cyffylliog, Nantglyn
· Devon: Dartington,
Farway, Kenn, Mamhead,
Staverton
· Dorset: Knowlton*,
Lytchett Matravers, Woolland
· East Lothian: Ormiston
· Essex: Fryerning,
Great Burstead
· Glamorgan: Llanedeyrn, St
Brides-super-Ely
· Gloucestershire: Alveston,
Pauntley, Staunton
· Greater London: Cudham,
Harlington, Totteridge
· Gwent: Bettws Newydd,
Llanarth, Llansoy,
Mamhilad, Mynyddislwyn
· Gwynedd: Llanddeiniolen,
Llanelltyd, Llanymawddwy,
Mallwyd
· Hampshire: Boarhunt,
Breamore, Farringdon, Itchen
Abbas, Long Sutton, Merdon Castle*,
South Hayling, Shipton
Bellinger *
· Herefordshire: Cusop,
Kentchurch Court*, Linton,
Llandinabo, Much Marcle,
Peterchurch, Yazor
· Hertfordshire: Benington
· Highland: Dundonnell
· Kent: Buckland-in-Dover,
Capel, Eastling, Harrietsham, Kennington,
Leeds, Loose,
Molash, Ulcombe,
Waldershare Park
· Northamptonshire: Helmdon,
Marston St. Lawrence, Thorpe
Mandeville
· Oxfordshire: Iffley,
South Moreton
· Perth/Kinross: Fortingall
· Powys (Brecon): Alltmawr,
Defynnog, Llanafan-Fawr,
Llanfeugan, Llanspyddid, Ystradfellte
· Powys (Mont.): Hyssington,
Llanerfyl, Llangadwaladr,
Llansilin, Pennant Melangell
· Powys (Radnor.): Cascob,
Discoed, Llandeilo Graban, Llanfaredd,
Llansantffraed-in-Elvel, Nantmel, Offa's Dyke
nr. Maes-Treylow
· Shropshire: Acton Scott,
Claverley, Clun, Hope Bagot, Loughton,
Uppington
· Somerset: Ashbrittle,
Chilcompton, Dinder, Elworthy,
Kingston St Mary
· Staffordshire: Hanchurch,
Himley Hall
· Surrey: Crowhurst, Druid’s
Grove, Hambledon, Keffolds Farm*,
Newlands Corner, Tandridge
· Sussex: Barlavington,
Buxted, Coldwaltham,
Crowhurst, Rotherfield,
Slaugham, Stedham,
Wilmington
· West Midlands: Tettenhall
· Wiltshire: Alton Priors,
Longbridge Deverill, Longleat*,
Lyneham, Odstock*, Tisbury
· Worcestershire: Alvechurch,
Bockleton, Knighton-on-Teme,
Kyre Park
· Wrexham: Gresford,
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Overton-on-Dee
· Yorkshire: Fountains
Abbey
(Copyright © Tim Hills 2005) |
