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Abbotstone Down

Nearest town: Winchester

Site type: woodland

Access: Private

Church name: No Data

Diocese: No Data

County: Hampshire

Country: England

Grid ref: SU5820535991

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 1-May-12

Recorded by: Peter Norton

Protection & responsibility: Hampshire Countryside Service

Yews recorded at this site: Ancient 4m-5m, Ancient 5m-7m, Notable

Notes: Remnant downland designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). Girth records were taken of 4 yews on the Hampshire CC owned part of the site, and of 22 on the adjacent private land. Roe deer are numerous and an obvious browse-line up to 1.2m high on most of the yews was noted. Stock fencing has been erected around the site and three of the larger yew have had post and rail fencing erected around the trees. Four of the smaller trees have had their crowns lifted so that cattle grazing can be introduced. The general habit of these yews is multi-stemmed with low-domed canopies, only some 12m high. Debarking on the low horizontal yew boughs is fairly common. There are no ancient or hollowed out yews and only a handful of young specimens. No seedlings were seen.

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