Shaftesbury

Nearest town: Shaftesbury

Site type: former religious site

Access: Public

Church name: St John

Diocese: No Data

County: Dorset

Country: England

Grid ref: ST85802260

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 7-Apr-06

Recorded by: Tim Hills

Protection & responsibility: No data

Yews recorded at this site: Notable

Notes: 2006 Tim Hills: The disused churchyard is a scheduled ancient monument. The land is owned by the town council and it is hoped they are aware of the asset of this most unusual yew. It should be protected. Ten years later the poster (2016) shows that this is now a protected graveyard. 'Local voluntary groups are now helping the Town Council with plans to care for this peaceful, ancient and sacred site as it deserves. The aim is to make it once again a haven for contemplation, nature and wildlife, protecting the ancient yew trees more effectively by maintaining a balance between keeping wild greenery and preventing the yew being choked by invasive laurel. The yew at the north (Bimport) end is listed as a unclassified yew in a national register published by the Ancient Yew Group. It could well pre-date Christian use of the site'. Peter Norton also provides the following information: 'By 1446 the parish containing St John's church was united with the parish of St James, and St John's church was no longer required as a place of worship. Nothing remains of the old church but it is possible that the site is marked by uneven ground south of the cemetery. We can speculate whether the yew was already growing here when the church was abandoned'.