Veteran yew at St James Church of Egerton
Written by Phil Brown, Badger Bushcraft Monday, 22 November 2010 09:35
In one of our recent videos I visit St James Church in Egerton village near our home in Kent and look at the veteran yew in the church yard. Many people who have walked the Greensand Way will be familiar with this most beautiful building as the path goes through the church grounds before exiting onto The Street in the village.
The church yard is a wonderful wildlife haven and somewhere I visit on a regular basis during the summer months to watch butterflies and many species of bird life that live and nest undisturbed in this most tranquil of areas.
I was most pleased to find that the veteran yew tree (Taxus baccata) is in fact listed on the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Hunt which pictures and details this most beautiful tree:-
Tree number 5003
Tree record status Verified
Verified by ALASTAIR MCVAIL
Verified on 27/01/2008 19:03
Original Recorder
Grid reference TQ90864759
Date of survey 1 January 1999
Country England
County Kent
Tree species Yew *
Girth 7m 35cm *
Height of girth 1m 50cm *
Public accessibility Public - open access (e.g. public park) *
Tree form Maiden
Standing or fallen Standing
Living status Alive
Location • Churchyard
Veteran status Veteran tree
Ancient tree site Egerton (Kent) parish church
Recording organisation Tree Register of the British Isles
Tree condition • Hollowing trunk
It will be most interesting to revisit these statistics and I will endeavour to go armed with a suitable tape measure next time I am walking in the area to see if the girth has altered in the last eleven years.
Whilst looking at the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Forum I stumbled on some words of wisdom that I read many years ago which have always been a source of inspiration to me:-
'We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and
children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who
can't speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees.'
Chief Edward Moody, Qwatsinas, Nuxalk Nation
Some very powerful words that we could all learn from.
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