CAN ‘YEW’ HELP PLEASE?

We are fortunate to have some of the most magnificent recorded yew trees in Wales. I am lucky enough to have visited most of them and also to have had the pleasure of Janis Fry’s company and knowledge at some of the special sites

Janis, who has written the wonderful Ancient Yew Tour around Brecon and Usk, told me: “Although there are still undiscovered yews, we now believe that in Wales, there are at least 21 yews aged at 2,000 years plus, 10 of 3,000 years plus, one at 4,000 years plus and three at 5,000 years plus. That is a total of 35 yews aged between 2,000 and 5,000 years old in Wales alone – and there are a great selection locally, around Crickhowell, Abergavenny and Brecon.”

There is the hollow one at Llanbedr Church, where there is often a chair inside, the Dancing Ladies near Raglan, (yes, they really do resemble ballerinas), the incredible yew circle at Pencelli and of course what is thought to be the oldest yew in the UK, at Defynnog.

For thousands of years, the yew was considered sacred in Wales and there were old laws that protected them which date back to Pope Gregory in around 600 AD, the laws of Hywel Dda, in the 10th century and the Synod of Exeter in 1287.

At one time, Saints yews known as Taxus Sanctus, were considered to have enormous importance and no one dared touch them. These laws were reviewed in the time of Edward I, in the year 1307, who gave them the Royal Seal of approval and later in the Houses of Parliament in 1781. The law is still active and has never been revoked but there also has never been a test case since those times and so the old laws need to be restated and brought up to date.

With the demise of the church and the closure of many redundant churches, these buildings and some lands, with or surrounded by yews, are being sold off. The need to protect these ancient yew trees is becoming more urgent with the change in ownership and stewarding. On the whole, the yews have been afforded a good degree of protection until now and although unimaginable, it is entirely possible that these ancient living monuments could disappear unchallenged.

So please take a minute to sign the petition to gain proper protection for our ancient yews. We are close to reaching the target but need your help. Please don’t leave it to others, or until it is too late.

■■www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-legalprotection-for-ancient-yew-trees

Thank ‘yew’.