Saint- Martin-du- Tilleul

September 2014 – Tim Hills: The ancient yew shown here is solid. A smaller male yew with a girth of 11′ 10” at 2′ grows nearby.
Wim Peeters: Translation from the 1884 Annuaire des cinq departements de l’ancienne Normandie: The ancient yew that grows in front of the porch, grabbed our attention. ‘This tree’, according to the old and respectable pastor who has lived in the parish for more than fifty years, ‘dates back to the time of Saint Martin!’ While this is legend, it should be recognised that the long life of this tree species passes beyond ordinary calculations. An interesting remark appeared in the ‘Journal de Bernay’ earlier this month, giving the history of this tree of death. The author, M.A. Gardin, proven by very precise documents, shows us that the tree appeared in its funerarial possession on the end of the ninth century and still goes on in our days. He complains, with reason, that the church organisations have let a large numbre of these trees disappear, and he calls upon the authorities to conserve these faithful guardians that, having guarded for centuries the tombstones of past generations, have acquired the right for the respect of the present generations’.