Borrowdale - Fraternal Four

Nearest town: Keswick

Site type: No Data

Access: Public

Church name: No Data

Diocese: No Data

County: Cumbria

Country: England

Grid ref: NY23501260

Lost yew site: Yes

Date visited: 20-Jun-02

Recorded by: Tim Hills

Protection & responsibility: National Trust

Yews recorded at this site: Ancient 4m-5m, Ancient 5m-7m, Ancient 7m+, Lost

Notes: An early engraving shows Wordsworth's 'Fraternal Four', as drawn by D.Waters. The caption reads 'Yew Trees near the Black-Lead Mines, Cumberland'. Three have survived and grow in what is reputedly the wettest place in England. The remaining postcards illustrate the dramatic setting which so attracted Wordsworth and in which these yews have survived for so long. The National Trust now owns the land and a fence has been built around the trees to keep the sheep out.