Llanwrthwl

2017 Paul Wood: Several yews of various size have been reduced to stumps.
Yew 1, seen in the 1st photograph, has been cut to a stump and is now an ivy tree. The stump appeared to be 6’/7′ in girth, though it was not possible to inspect.
Yew 2 on the plan has been cut down and made into a seat. This yew might have been of some age, since it appeared that it had developed a horse shoe hollow shape with internal growth.
Yew 4, seen in the final photo, is new growth from a stump of little more than 3’/4′ in girth. The two places marked with an x are places where I was informed by a local inhabitant that yews used to grow. There was no evidence for this on the ground. It is possible that this churchyard was once ringed with yews, and as the aged yews died, these were replaced with new trees.