Tedstill

The yew leans dramatically towards the road. It is very tall and has abundant and green foliage. There is a large amount of living wood, particularly on the west side. The first photo shows where the tree was measured and a girth of 22′ 3” (678cm) was recorded. The 2nd photo looks at the east side of the tree, where a section of some size has all but disappeared – indicated by the yellow line. This indicates a tree that was once considerably larger in girth. It seems to me that the loss of a large section of tree might have happened when the 18th century barn was constructed. Also seen are what would have once been internal stems which have fused together and white decaying sapwood which, when it has gone, will diminish further the yew’s girth. It appeared that ivy has been removed and there was only a thin covering on the west side. The bole, which rises to about 12′, is very deep purple/red, particularly where three major branches grow vertically with many minor branches as offshoots. The root system is only partially exposed but can be seen up to 15 metres away from the tree in places. On the side facing the road the yew has had some minor surgery to allow vehicular access. Though classified as a veteran this yew could be ancient.