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Mells

Nearest town: Frome

Site type: churchyard

Access: Public

Church name: St Andrew

Diocese: Bath and Wells

County: Somerset

Country: England

Grid ref: ST728492

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 7-Oct-99

Recorded by: Tim Hills/Peter Norton

Protection & responsibility: Parochial Church Council

Yews recorded at this site: Ancient 4m-5m

Notes: Mells is a village steeped in history and has long been associated with the nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner. The Horner family acquired the deeds of Mells Manor in 1543 after the dissolution of the monasteries. The church was rebuilt by 'Jack' Thomas Horner in the 16th Century and still stands today. An avenue of clipped Irish yews, designed by Lutyens, can be found on the north side of the church and leads to the meadows beyond. Three male yews grow on the south side. Two are recorded here in the Tree Notes. A third, SW of the church is a series of 8 to 10 stems from the ground with two more removed. Is it possible that this might be regrowth from an old stump?