Compton Dundon Yew Tree

T TH HE EC CH HU UR RC CH HY YA AR RD DY YE EW W –– T Trreeee P Prreesseerrvvaattiioon nO Orrd deerr C Coom mp pttoon nD Du un nd doon nN Noo.. 1 1 Our famous ancient giant Yew Tree, Taxus baccata, with its huge trunk and wide spread of branches is visited and loved by many.

The girth of its hollow trunk is about 24 feet (7.3 metres) The height of the tree is estimated at 40 feet (12 metres) The spread is approximately 72 feet (22 metres) average.

Age: In the 1960s a national survey aiming to protect ancient yews estimated the tree to be 1,700 years old, perhaps we could now say that it’s 1,760 years old. The tree was quite possibly here in pre-Christian times, situated close to an ancient iron-age fort on Dundon Hill, and certainly here before this Church was built. The yew was important in Celtic culture as a symbol of immortality and death. Christianity took over both the symbolism and the sites. From the Middle Ages yew was used to make the long bow, which was a prized weapon even after the development of firearms.

The hollow ‘trunk’ is formed of different stems, suckers and branches that have fused and woven together during their growing stages. On the south east side there is a gap in the bole that shows that the trunk is completely hollow as a pipe. Small children used to be able to get inside but the gap has been gradually closing over the last few decades. The sexton used to keep his tools in there.

The tree is surveyed regularly by Andrea Maistrello Arboriculture. Andrea installed the dynamic four-tonne non-invasive Cobra bracing system in 2013 (the webbing can be seen in the crown of the tree) and this year (2020) has carried out important safety work to reduce the strain on one of the main stems which has a long-standing vertical split. Other work is ongoing to reduce the risks due to snow-loading and high winds, plus mulching around the tree to help prevent the ground becoming compacted. The existing bracing system will need to be replaced before the end of 2023.

Do take care near the tree: You will see that man’s (foolish?) attempt to have a stone seat around it is not too great a problem for the tree, it’s simply pushing it apart!

Also the roots are lifting some of the flagstones of the path (hence the trip-hazard sign at the gate). The path may soon have to be relaid to allow the roots more room.

Please respect The Ancient Yew by not climbing it and putting it, yourself and others in danger.

Yew trees, except the aril (the red flesh of the berry covering the seed), are poisonous/toxic.

This tree is a male and doesn’t produce berries.

The cost of maintaining and caring for the tree and its surroundings is considerable and ongoing. There is currently an appeal for funds to help with this and if you would like to assist us with a donation, however small, please go to www.justgiving.com and search for Compton Dundon, then scroll down to ‘Campaigns’ and find his picture → Thank you, St Andrew’s Church