We have brought together the results of painstaking work recording yews in woodland and other non-churchyard settings.
In 1988 the Conservation Foundation’s Country Living Magazine yew tree campaign received information about garden yews, issuing certificates to proud owners of the yew’s possible age. This is a fascinating insight into garden yews.
The earlies written record of a lost yew dates from 1633, when the yew at Yatton Keynell in Wiltshire was destroyed because ‘the clerk lop’t it to make money of it to some bowyer or fletcher, and that lopping kill’d it: the dead trunke remains there still.’
This article has information about yews lost from more than 425 sites. At about 120 of these locations a known ancient specimen has been lost.
The Tree Register of the British Isles (TROBI) sponsors the Ancient Yew Group by providing the framework for this website. TROBI has published a newsletter since 1990 and many of the Ancient Yew Group’s contributions are included on this page.
