One of the 2000-year old Borrowdale Yews
YEWS FOR THE MILLENNIUM IN CUMBRIA
What better way to celebrate the coming of the
Millennium than by planting a tree which will give pleasure to
many people both now and in the future? and....WHAT BETTER TREE
than a YEW which provides shelter, a spiritual home, and also
links us right back to our ancestors at the beginning of human
life in the British Isles? The Conservation Foundation, who have
initiated this project, will supply us with the necessary trees
at the appropriate time.
THE YEW TREE
Background
The English yew (Taxus baccata) is unique. It is one of
the longest-lived trees in the world; the oldest one, at
Fortingale in Scotland, is estimated at over 6,000 years. Cumbria
has its share of ancient yews some of which are listed below.
The yew was revered by the earliest inhabitants of Britain, whose daily lives
were closely bound up with trees and whose alphabet even incorporated tree names.
Over 2,000 years ago, theCelts gave this tree the most important place in their
“tree calendar"; its place marked the important festival of Samhain
- their New Year’s eve. Some people keep this still today in our Hallowe’en
celebrations. The yew symbolised their belief in the cyclic existence of all
life: the death of the old at autumn and the beginning of the process of rebirth
ready for the spring. They recognised immortality in the ancient tree.
This early respect for the long-lived yew led to it becoming a place of worship,
burial and other important ceremonials - a sacred place which led the first
Christians to build their new churches near them. Hence the churchyard yew so
common today. In some areas a sprig of yew is still placed on coffins.
The Tree
Yews are very tough and can withstand harsher conditions of
climate and terrain than most native trees. They grow best,
however, on limestone soils. Elsewhere they were probably planted
by our ancestors. Their timber is very dense and
a lovely orange-brown in colour. It was found the best for
longbows and the oldest wooden artefact yet discovered is a yew
spear from 150,000 years ago. Great armies of English archers
were supplied with yew bows throughout the Middle Ages and when
it became scarce in the 14th century imports were made from the
continent. Yew bark, leaves, and seeds are all
poisonous and should not be eaten; people and animals have
sometimes died from doing so. An extract from the leaves (called
taxol) is now used extensively in the treatment of some cancers.
A Class of its Own
Again the yew is unique in that it doesn't fit easily into the
two main groups of trees. Some botanists have put it in a class
of its own. Along with the pictures, the following points should
help you identify them:
1. Dark-green, needle-like leaves are shinly above, dull
underneath and arranged comb-like on two sides of the twig. They
remain on the twig for many years before falling to the earth.
2. The very tiny female flowers are borne on separate trees from
those bearing the male flowers, so that both female and male
trees are needed to produce seed The male trees are covered in
their pale yellow flowers in February/March and give off clouds
of microscopic pollen when the wind blows.
3. The ripe seed is a beautifiul red aril (like a berry) which encloses the single hard seed in the autumn.
4. From a distance, the tree is very distinctive
with its dark green foliage and its low, spreading shape when
really old. It is rarely more than 15m tall (though can be 20m
and more slender when growing in forest conditions) and its stout,
sometimes multi-stemmed trunk may be hidden by dense foliage.
Size and age
If it has a minimum circumference at 1.5m above the ground, or
less, of more than 3m (l0ft.), it is probably over 400 years old.
If more than 6m in circumference, then it may well have been
around since the first millennium! The project is keen to
identify and record all the old and large yews in the county and
would be pleased to hear from you if you know of any in your area
(see contact details below).
Some Ancient Yews In Cumbria
1. Armathwaite Hall Hotel, Bassenthwaite* map ref NY207325 2000yrs
2. Seathwaite, Borrowdale map ref NY235126 ftmale, 2000yrs (Largest
of three)
3. Yew Tree Farm, Lorton* map ref NY161254 ftmale, l600yrs
4. Martindale Church, Ullswater map ref NY434184 male, 2000yrs
5. Old Church Hotel, Ultswater* map ref NY442212 ftmale, 1500yrs
6 Yew Bank, Upper Eskdale map ref NY229031 (lOOOft a. s. l.) 2000yrs
7. Stonethwaite Beck, Borrowdale map ref NY2ZJ 133 900yrs
8. Royal Yew Inn, Dean map ref NY075253 800yrs
9. Naworth Castle, Brampton* map ref NY559625 ftmale, 900yrs
10. Muncaster Castle, RavengLass map refSDlO3963 900yrs
11. Greystoke Church, Penrith map ref NY443307 900yrs
* NOTE: these trees are on private property and
permission should be sought to visit them. We hope there is one
near your home so you can go and pay your respects soon, even
give it a big hug; it will surely enjoy that after centuries of
perhaps standing unheeded
YEW TREES FOR THE MILLENNIUM IN CUMBRIA PROJECT
We hope this gives you some idea of our most
ancient native tree, which has served us well for thousands of
years. Some of us now think that YEWS need a little help from us.
It is perhaps a matter of re-learning our once held respect for
these senior citizens of the landscape, of protecting some of the
most ancient ones from vandalism and grazing damage, an also of
planting some new ones to replace those de.stroyed over the
millennia.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED in this project, and have information, or wish to order
a cutting of an ancient yew to plant, please send your name and address, along
with a donation if you can, to:
Yews For The Millennium in Cumbria, c/o WEP, Rayrigg Meadow, Bowness on Windermere,
Cumbria LA23 1BP Tel&Fax 015394 88802
"The Cumbrian
Yew Book : A Millennial Celebration" by Ken Mills and
with a foreword by Prof David Bellamy
is available from the above address at £5 postage paid (in UK)
Yew Trees for the Millennium in Cumbria is supported by:
Council for Agriculture and Rural Life
Cumbria Broadleaves
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Diocese of Carlisle Youth Service
East Cumbria Countryside Project
GlaxoWellcome
Solway Rural Initiative Limited
Wood Education Programme
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