Crowhurst - Sussex

Girths recorded in the past:
1680 – 27′ at 4′ (Aubrey):
1835 – 27′ 7” at 4′ (Horsfield):
1879 – 26′ 7” at 4′ (CS Greaves):
1894 – 26′ 9” at 4′ (Lowe):
1954 – 27′ 2” at 3′ (Swanton):
1982 – 28′ at 4′ (Meredith):
1998 – 289cm diameter between 0.8 and 1.5m (O.Johnson).
1999 – Tim Hills: The largest of the three Sussex Crowhurst yews is female and grows south of the church. Rev Lonsdale Ragg’s description of a ‘caged lion’ is apt (JH Wilks Trees of British Isles in history and legend), though lioness would be more accurate!
30th October 2015 – Peter Norton: Of the three female yews that grow here the most celebrated is southeast of the porch and can be viewed on Google Maps at 50.883663, 0.497104. Protected behind iron railings it is slowly separating into two distinct fragments with much dead wood being re-covered by secondary growth. Also noted were some fine internal stems. Branches to the east, south and partially west have been allowed to grow resulting in some fine serpentine growth.