| TREES IN MYTHOLOGY, LEGEND, SYMBOLISM and RELIGION.
A chapter from “Yew Trees and their Inter-relationship
with Man” – a BSc dissertation in Rural Resources Development
(1993)
By Tim Partridge
The majority of Yew trees are found growing in churchyards, and
this is the image of the Yew that many people have in their minds.
The Steep Yew, Hampshire © Tim Partridge
The Yew however, is an important part of our native flora and has
been of great value historically. The Yew stands out as the ultimate
tree in many ways. It provides us with a living witness to so much
of our cultural development that it is unique amongst trees.
The Yew has been the subject of myths, legends and Acts of Parliament.
It has become part of religious beliefs and is featured in a wealth
of literary material. The Yew has also been used as a marker in
the landscape because of its exceptional longevity.
Trees have become part of our lives in four areas that are distinct,
yet have elements of each other within them. They are represented
in legends and myths, both from our culture and from others. Trees
have also become deeply integrated in symbolism and are used in
a variety of ways to convey messages related to the qualities that
certain trees possess. The tree also appears in religion, where
it is worshipped directly or used as a place around which to worship.
Trees in Mythology
Mythology in itself can be described as a collection of traditions
that refer to the forces of Nature, to national heroes and to
the gods. Nature Myths are primitive attempts to explain the processes
of nature and may be looked upon as the beginnings of natural
science. Hero Myths are more likened to sacred mythology. Myths
draw their parallels from common experience and grow up with the
nation.
The myth in this way becomes part of tradition. The emergence
of myths can be understood by the examination of the early primitive
men that lived in those ‘mythological’ times. The
primitive man in his simplicity of experience had not learned
accurately to differentiate or distinguish; definitions were impossible,
and he would not have been able to detect the contradictions in
to which his methods of thought plunged him. The development of
religious and scientific ideas was the result of the way in which
he faced such contradictions as they emerged into distinct consciousness.
Subsequently his ideas became a coherent system, which was updated
by new ideas as older ones were superseded by new. (Mee 1958).
Probably the most profound way in which trees are regarded is
by their association with mythology. Trees bewitch us and offer
a sense of mystery, and our association of known myths with particular
trees fuels this. This association takes place not only on a species
level but also in geographical terms, with individual trees. In
mythology, trees take on magical powers and become the centre
of our fascination. Trees in this context give us a sense of the
unknown. The human preoccupation with the unknown is eloquently
summarised by Plutarch in his work on Morality. Writing in about
90 A.D. Plutarch said of Man’s curiosity;
“This curiosity which now is in hand, being masked under
the name of wisdom and hability of spirit, is (to say a truth)
a covert and hidden fury, which carrieth the mind of the curious
person past himself.”
Trees in mythology offer us a living reminder of events too terrible
to contemplate or so wondrous as to be beyond our comprehension.
There is an uncanny inquisitiveness about such events that leads
us to hold up the image of some trees as worthy of reverence.
The tree has become the witness to and often the centre of mythical
happenings. To be able to see and touch such a tree is a powerful
experience, although we cannot physically draw from it any of
that power. We are unable to grasp the complexity of these feelings,
and for this reason we bow to the superiority of the tree over
us.
One story exists surrounding the mythical power of a Yew tree.
The tree, in the cloisters of Vreton in Brittany is said to have
sprung from the staff of St. Martin. The tree was always regarded
as sacred and the Princes of Brittany were said to offer prayers
under it before entering the church. Apparently no birds ate of
the berries and no one dared touch the tree. One day, a local
band of pirates came to cut bowstaves from the branches. Two of
them climbed into the tree and met their fate. They fell from
the tree and were killed. The tree is still living. (Loudon 1838).
Trees in Legend
Legends are a different phenomenon to Myths and have much less
basis in fact. Many are merely stories of fiction that claim to
be truth. They are less concerned with happenings beyond comprehension,
but in associating places and people with particular events. One
legend from Scotland that is related to the churchyard Yew illustrates
this well. It reads: -
“If a Clansman held in his left hand a piece of churchyard
Yew, then as he confronted his enemy in battle to denounce him
or threaten him, the enemy would hear nothing. All around would
hear however, enabling the Clansman to swear afterwards that he
gave clear warning of his intention and was thus not guilty of
treachery.” (Wilks 1972).
One of the most popular characters of legend is the Yeoman of
the 12th or 13th Century who roamed Northern England with a band
of outlaws. The story of Robin Hood is well known, yet the true
identity of the man is lost in the mists of time. Two things are
certain however. Robin Hood was regarded as the best archer in
England, and although his true identity is unclear, as a character
he was a living legend. (Valentine Harris 1952).
His use of the longbow is well documented, and a statue of him
unveiled in 1952 in Nottingham shows him in the process of drawing
his bow. It is likely that he used a bow made from Yew wood though
there is no evidence to support this, save that it was the traditional
material. A longbow reputedly used by Robin Hood’s closest
companion, Little John was in the Wakefield museum, but now is
in a private collection. This bow is certainly made of Yew wood
but there is some dispute about the true origin of the bow. (Lees
1987).
Robin Hood also had links with other trees. Sherwood Forest,
where the outlaw based his ‘merry men’ was set into
legend by the use of one tree as a meeting place. The ‘Major
Oak’ as it is known, is now a focus for tourists who come
to see something living linking them directly to the legend. The
last word goes to the Yew tree in Doveridge, Derbyshire, said
to be up to 1,400 years old. Legend has it that under this tree
Robin married Maid Marrion. (Wilks 1972).
Trees in Symbolism
Trees are Nature’s gladiator, who despite great imbalance
in odds, fights to keep a foothold in the most extreme conditions.
This strength is one of the characteristics that have led to the
symbolic use of trees. The tree has three parts in terms of symbolism
– roots, trunk and branches. (Davies 1988).
Its roots lie deep in the ground drawing up nutrients and providing
a solid base.
The canopy contains the leaves that draw energy from their surroundings.
The trunk stands above ground providing material strength for
the whole tree. These elements offer to us symbolism of feelings
we seek in choosing our individual landscapes. A sense of belonging
is something many people strive to achieve in a community. The
tree with its firm base symbolises that concept of ‘roots’
and an element of an ongoing relationship with our surroundings.
The canopy drawing in energy from its environment is symbolic
of our need to absorb our cultural heritage in order to feel in
tune with our evolution from times past. The drive to find an
historic link with our present lives is almost instinctive and
propels us forward as if on a quest to attain status and find
a reason for being. The material strength of the trunk and its
part in holding the tree together is perhaps symbolic of our need
for inner strength.
The way in which the Christian Church has developed has been
eloquently described by Pope Paul VI, who wrote of the church
in ways which use the symbolism of the tree to describe it, thus;
“This is how the Lord wanted his church to be: universal,
a great tree whose branches shelter the birds of the air........ln
the mind of the Lord the Church is universal by vocation and mission,
but when she puts down her roots in a variety of social and human
terrains, she takes on different external expressions and appearances
in each part of the world.” (Exarchat Apostolique 1992).
Trees are also regarded by some as powerful indicators of certain
traits. They have become a potent symbol, and are used to convey
particular qualities. Their steadfast longevity is now used, for
example to advertise investment accounts. The advert uses the
tree in such a way as to suggest that the account too has those
qualities.
The symbolism of trees also finds its way into human expression.
The gnarled trunk of a tree is in many ways symbolic of those
amongst us who have achieved great age. A wizened human face can
be suggestive of great wisdom. This concept of ‘wisdom of
maturity’ is thus mirrored in our oldest trees. They have
attained great age and maturity so providing us with a sense of
respect for them. As the numbers of older people in Europe continue
to grow, maybe the symbolism of trees will find new resonance.
Indeed the profile of trees amongst health care professionals
is rising up the agenda as the latest EU project ‘Action
on Forestry - Human Health and Wellbeing’ is showing. This
four year project (2004 –2008) will gather data on the impact
of forests on peoples health and shape our future relationships
with trees.
Trees and Religion
One of the most significant ways in which trees are regarded
is through their association with religion. Several Races exist
that revere trees, and there are some that use them as icons.
Others used them to make representations of gods that they worshiped.
(Davies 1988). These Totems are visible representations of ‘forces
unseen’ that allow the worshipper to prostrate himself before
the gods, lest they should harm or kill him. Some totems are representations
of other things, carved in wood, and some are representative of
trees themselves. (Mee 1958). Within this country there is evidence
to show that in the past trees were regarded as sacred, and became
the focal point for worship.
Some religious groups such as the Druids worshiped other gods
but used trees as places of gathering for worship. They did however
value the trees considerably and even planted trees to form groves
in which they could worship. An article of the Druidic religion
forbad them from worshiping their gods inside a temple enclosed
by walls and a roof. Instead the Druids worshiped in the open
air, and most of their sacred sites were on elevated ground where
the heavenly bodies that they worshiped could be seen most clearly.
However, for their most sacred places, the Druids sought out a
more secretive location. They chose the deepest parts of woodlands
and either planted trees or used existing groves as places of
worship. These groves, generally of Oak, were tended and protected
by the Druids, who enclosed many of them with a ditch. Gaps were
left to allow them access, but these too were closely guarded.
(Porteous 1928) The shape of these enclosures is significant since
it takes its form from an Eastern sacred shape, the circle. This
is of importance later on in religious terms as many early Christian
churches took on this shape. (Dallimore 1908).
Other groups such as Pagans, it is believed, actually worshiped
the trees themselves. Some of the values that Pagans historically
associated with trees are held as valid by them even today. The
association of trees with longevity and of fertility is well documented
and this may give some base to the sacred position that some trees
hold. (Davies 1988). The Pagans it is thought, used the Yew tree
as the focus for their attentions. It must have been seen by Pagans
as more of a mythological deity rather than a place for worship.
The Yew itself has particular qualities which emanate a feeling
of awe in its presence. The natural Yew forests that still cover
parts of Europe are places with an intense feeling of atmosphere.
In the early morning mists, such vast forests become forbidding
places that can give a strange sense of unease to a modern day
visitor, let alone a hapless Pagan, at the mercy of natural forces
and of simpler mind and understanding.
© Tim Partridge
The enormous size of a mature Yew tree and their exceptional
longevity are characteristics that lend themselves to being revered.
This coupled to the way in which the branches of an ancient Yew
bend to rest on the ground and the poisonous nature of its seeds
and foliage, make it understandably worshiped.
As long ago as 1664 John Evelyn, in his book Sylva — A
Discourse of Forest Trees’ echoed the feeling of awe and
wonder felt by the early pagans;
“He that in Winter should behold some of our highest hills
in Surrey clad in whole woods of these last two trees (Yew and
Box), for divers miles in circuit, might without the least violence
to his imagination easily fancy himself transported into some
new or enchanted country.”
Trees and Christianity
The Yew and other trees are also associated with Christianity.
Some of the symbolism of the tree in Christianity comes from its
common ancestry with Paganism. In its early stages, Christianity
ran parallel to Paganism and some of the Yew trees that existed
in pre-Christian times and were incorporated into the new religion
may still be alive today. These Yew trees are now enclosed by
Christian churches in a similar way to the ancient Druidic groves.
Their circular form giving us the clue to their ancient origins.
When Augustine came to Britain in 597 A.D. to bring Christianity
he was given the task of bringing the Pagan faiths to an end in
a sympathetic and sensitive way. He sought to convert rather than
to alienate the people. He was sent by Gregory the Great who insisted
that Augustine should not destroy the heathen temples, but only
remove the images, wash the walls with water, erect altars and
try to convert the sites to Christian churches. The raising of
some ancient Yew trees on a circular mound of earth is a reflection
of the circular form that these new churches took, as a remnant
of that superstition. (Dallimore 1928). Indeed a Yew tree is said
to have sheltered St Augustine when he arrived to bring Christianity.
The tree at Stanford Bishop in Herefordshire is still living and
has a girth of almost seven metres. (Wilks 1972).
Christianity also took on many other features of Paganism including
candles and altars as well as the rite of initiation. It also
had some of the characteristics of the so called mystery religions,
such as the dependence on a saviour figure and assurance of personal
salvation. Christainity also had its sites of pilgrimage and places
where votive offerings could be made. (Hutton 1991). The use of
trees by Pagans was embraced by Christianity, though in a different
form. A tree formed the focal point for Christianity in its use
at the crucifixion. Christ, the saviour figure, suffered and died
upon a cross roughly hewn from a tree. The crucifixion was a significant
event since their saviour gave himself to obviate the need for
future sacrifice. (Huton 1991).
The events that followed the crucifixion were of greater significance.
Once the resurrection and ascension had occurred, Christians were
offered everything of the mystery religions as well as the hope
of eternal life. The early Christians looked to nature to provide
a symbolic representation of these events and the Yew tree, so
closely associated with the religion from which they took much
of their form provided the answer. The Yew tree with its evergreen
leaves and great lifespan came to signify to Christians, eternal
life and immortality respectively. (Dallimore 1908).
Some indeed infer that Christ was crucified on a Yew tree. In
the ballad called “ The Leaves Of Light”, which survived
in oral tradition into the Twentieth century, we find just such
an assertion.
The third verse reads;
And they went down into yonder town
and sat in the Gallery,
And there they saw sweet Jesus Christ
Hanging from a big Yew tree.
(Stewart 1990).
It is a strange paradox that the life of Jesus not only ended
‘on a tree’, but was dependent on them for his work.
We know that Jesus, like his father Joseph, was a carpenter. He
would have had a sound knowledge of the properties of timber and
known the value of trees.
The tree also forms an important part of Christian scriptures.
In the earliest books of the Old Testament the Book of Genesis
makes reference to two trees created and placed in the Garden
Of Eden by God. The first chapter, verse 9 reads;
The Lord God made trees spring from the ground, all trees
pleasant to look at and good for food; and in the middle of
the garden he set the tree of life and the tree of knowledge
of good and evil.
The latter tree is of considerable significance, since it was
from this tree that Eve was fed the forbidden fruit by the Serpent.
This led to the ousting of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden
and divine reproach from God. Eve was punished by being condemned
to pain in childbirth and to being subservient to Adam. He was
punished by being made to work hard on the ‘accursed ground’
and his struggle was to continue until he too ‘return to
the ground’.
Trees appear in other parts of the Scriptures. The Cedars Of
Lebanon are considered by many Jews to be an illustration of God’s
goodness, as indicated by the words in the Bible;
The righteous shall grow like the Cedars of Lebanon.
The original grove of trees still grows on the slopes of the
mountains of Syria, and some of them are now 2,500 years old.
It is interesting to note that the same grove of trees the Jews
regarded with such reverence was valued by other people many years
earlier. The Egyptians, whose homelands had little natural tree
cover, made use of Cedar wood taken from the Lebanon to build
their vast trading ships that plied the Nile almost 3000 years
before the birth of Christ. The Egyptian Pharaoh Cheops had one
such ship built that he used as a state barge on the Nile. After
the death of Cheops, about 4,600 years ago, the ship was buried
with him in his pyramid. The ship was subsequently excavated by
archaeologists and found to be over one hundred feet long. It
was quite unique since it was unlike normal Egyptian craft and
was not equalled in size or design for another thousand years.
(Heyerdal 1971).
Yew trees and Christianity
However, it is one tree, the Yew, that has retained the closest
physical link with Christainity and the fabric of the Church.
Yews as a consequence of their Pagan associations and enclosure,
were planted in churchyards as Christianity spread. This was undoubtedly
to placate those whose religion had been superseded by Christianity.
The Yew tree took on other meanings and values too. It has been
concerned with and symbolic of death, sorrow and sadness since
Egyptian times. They used its foliage as a symbol of mourning
and this was passed into both Greek and Roman cultures. The Romans
also used the wood to fuel funeral pyres. It is thought that much
of the funereal significance of the Yew in Britain came from the
influence of the Romans, and this added to the spiritual reverence
with which the tree came to be treated. (Dallimore 1908). The
links with churchyards and the Yew tree although of ancient origin
are a more contemporary idea. This is related to the relatively
recent practise of burying our dead in consecrated churchyards,
where Yew trees stand.
The churchyard is where most of our great Yew tree specimens
are now found, but the most common churchyard Yew is the Irish
Yew, Taxus fastigiata. This is a variety that was introduced from
County Fermanagh, where it was bred in 1780. (Wilkinson 1981)
These deliberately planted Yew trees are a continuance of the
tradition begun by the first enclosure of a Yew tree in a churchyard,
and are an indication of just how deeply rooted is the meaning
and value of the tree in our society.
This association with the funeral and death made the Yew tree
worthy of mention in prose and literature. Mathew Arnold, Wordsworth
and Shakespeare and Tennyson all illustrated the Yew as a tree
associated with death. The realm of poetry gave the Yew tree a
sinister and morbid identity in this respect and this is most
eloquently outlined in the poem by Blair, entitled ‘The
Grave’.
Well do I know thee trusty Yew,
Cheerless unsocial plant, that loves to dwell.
Midst skulls and coffins, epitaphs and worms,
Where light healed ghosts and visionary shades,
Beneath the wan cold moon (as fame reports),
Embody’d thick perform their majestic rounds,
No other merriment, dull tree is thine.
(Dallimore 1908)
The reason why the Yew was planted in churchyards has been addressed
by many people. It seems that the Yew possessed properties that
made it valuable, but a description by Robert Turner in his book
Botanoaotia written in 1636, makes a graveyard appear to be a
fearful place. He states;
“If the Yew be set in a place subject to poisonous vapours,
the very branches will draw and imbibe them, hence it is conceived
that the judicious in former times planted it in churchyards
on the West side, because those places, being fuller of putrefaction
and gross oleaginous vapours exhaled out of the graves by the
setting sun and sometimes drawn by those meteors called ‘lgnes
fatui’, divers have been frightened, supposing some dead
bodies to walk, not that it is able to drive away Devils as
some superstitious monks have imagined.”
The links with churchyards and the Yew tree have continued up
to modern times, and the Yew now appears all across the country
in churchyards and cemeteries. The Yew is a useful tree in such
confined ground since it is easily trimmed and managed. (Heath
1912). There are many ideas and motives for the planting of Yews
within churchyards, not least that of placating the Pagans whose
religion had been superseded. It is also suggested the Yew was
used as a decoration on Good Friday, the day that Christ was crucified.
(Dallimore 1908). Some people support the notion that Yews were
planted in churchyards to keep them away from cattle, since their
leaves are poisonous. All these ideas are based upon the value
of Yew trees whether it be perceived, monetary or spiritual.
The mould then is set. The Yew tree has become part of the fabric
of our society by merit of many years association with religion
and culture, from Ancient Egypt onwards. These associations, with
time become tradition and the Yew tree in Britain is now synonymous
with churchyards. Sadly, it seems that once Paganism was ‘tamed’
and embraced by Christianity, the centre of their worship, the
Yew, was likewise tamed, It became encircled by concecrated ground
and later was cross bred to create a more manageable and aethstetically
pleasing form. The sinister and awesome tree that captivated the
hapless pagan in early times no longer poses a threat. The churchyard
Yew, commonly the Irish variety Taxus fastigiata, has become a
decorative feature far removed from its ancestor. Luckily the
longevity of the Yew allows us the privilege of seeing and experiencing
some ancient Yews.
John Geralds Herbal 1597 ‘Taxus, the Yew Tree’
References:
Davies, D., 1988 The Iconography of Landscape
– Cambridge University Press
Dallimore, W., 1908 Holly Yew and Box, John Lane
Company
Evelyn, J., 1664 Sylva – a discourse on
Forest Trees
Exarchat Apostolique., 1992 Diversity in the
Church
Heath, George, Francis. 1912 Tree Lore, Kelly,
London
Heyerdal, Thor, 1971 The Ra Expeditions, Allen
and Unwin, London
Hutton, Ronald, 1991 Pagan Religions of the British
Isles, Basil Blackwell
Lees , Jim., 1987 The Quest for Robin Hood, Temple
Nostalgia
Loudon, John C., 1838 Arboretum et Fruticum :
Encyclopedia of trees
Mee, Arthur. 1958 The Children’s Encyclopedia,
Educational Book Company, London
Stewart R.J., 1990 Celtic Gods, Celtic Godesses,
Blandford Press
Turner, Robert. 1664 Botanoaotia, Nature and
Virtues of English Plants, Brook, London.
Valentine- Harris, P., 1952 The Truth about Robin
Hood, Mansfield 1973
Wilks, J.H., 1972 Trees of British Isles in History
and Legend
Wilkinson, G., 1981 A History Of Britain’s
Trees, Hutchinson
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