Thorley

September 1988 – Rev Clive Slaughter: In a letter to David Bellamy responding to the Country Living survey of churchyard yews – “We have an old yew tree which is hollow. It was recently pruned by a tree surgeon who proclaimed it a very fine specimen. The girth measured at three feet above ground level was 6 metres and at 4ft, roughly 6.5 metres. I understand that about 8 children managed to squeeze inside”.
February 1999 -Tim Hills: A hollowed out shell in a typical horse shoe shape. It appears to be recovering though foliage was still sparse at the time of my visit. Girth of 20′ 9” (632cm) at 4′.
April 2009 – Ian Robert Brown: A large opening to a hollow shell. Tree seems to be thriving with new sapwood evident on the outer trunk. New branches growing all about the tree. Despite being damaged by fire, from one side the tree appears unharmed with a very healthy appearance. A fence across the opening to the inner shell now protects the tree. On the other side of the churchyard there are new yew trees that look as though they may have grown from an old shell.