The Churchyard in 1992. © Alan Doel
The medieval church of Saint Edward in Winterbourne Dauntsey was demolished in 1867, but the churchyard yew tree lives on and is now probably the oldest living thing in the Winterbournes. In 1992 Alan Doel (a Salisbury-based tree enthusiast) alerted the then rector of the parish to the condition of the tree, and together they removed the ivy that was smothering it. Alan Doel also secured a Tree Preservation order (TPO) for this notable yew.
The 1992 picture shows a long bough extending to the left. This did not survive the severe gales of early 2022, which left the tree in a somewhat damaged condition.
n the absence of tree-ring counts, the age of yew trees may be estimated from the girth or diameter of the main trunk. Toby Hindson has reviewed several formulae for age estimation and the evidence that supports them. He proposes that the age of the tree is directly proportional to the diameter1.
The diameter of the Gater’s Lane yew was estimated by photographing it with a stick of exactly one metre length placed vertically alongside the trunk. This provided a scale from which the diameter could be determined. Two different measurements were made at right angles to each other and both gave a result of 1.67 metres for the diameter. From Figure 6 of Toby Hindson’s paper this indicates an age of approximately 600 years for the tree.
The yew tree on 29 July 2022
The yew tree main trunk, with a 1-metre stick on the left
Chicken of the woods roosting in the yew tree. © Roy Judd.
The tree is host to many other species, including the bracket fungus “Chicken of the woods” (Laetiporus sulphurous).
A planning application (PL/2022/05113) is in hand for works to the tree that will extend its healthy life for as long as possible. These will include reducing the crown, to reduce vulnerability to high winds.
1. Hindson, T., 2019. “Finding ages for large specimens of Taxus baccata.” Yew ageing paper explanatory article.pdf (ancient-yew.org)
Join Our Newsletter
Subscribe to our website to receive the latest news about our Parish.
Become a Contributor
The Village Link is no longer published in printed form, but continues on this web site. Rather than having four distinct editions each year, it will be updated on a continual basis as newsworthy events occur. To make a contribution press the button below.
Become a Contributor
Please send us information about yourself and how would you like to help us improve the site and add content.
Copyright © 2024 Oxarix Web Studio