Carisbrooke

Nearest town: Newport

Site type: churchyard

Access: Public

Church name: St Mary

Diocese: Portsmouth

County: Isle of Wight

Country: England

Grid ref: SZ48548825

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 20-Apr-07

Recorded by: Tina Williamson

Protection & responsibility: Parochial Church Council

Yews recorded at this site: Ancient 4m-5m

Notes: The yew grows at the east end of the church. If the second image, dated 1567, does indeed show the yew at that time, this would be the earliest pictorial yew reference I have come across. The following information was supplied by Richard Smouth (County Archivist): 'As far as I am aware no-one has dated the tree, but it is of considerable interest historically. The Newport Ligger Book, which is held in the custody of the Isle of Wight Record Office (NBC 45/2), includes a circular picture dated 1567 which shows the area from Carisbrooke Castle down to the River Medina, at the time of an imaginary naval assault. A church is clearly shown in this picture, and although there is some ambiguity as to whether this is Newport or Carisbrooke, the fact that it shows a double arcaded church with a tree alongside it, not only matches Carisbrooke perfectly but also implies that this is the yew tree or its predecessor on the same site. In view of the reputation that yews have for longevity I think that there is a strong chance that the tree is the same one, which makes it the earliest individual tree to be depicted on the island, in my admittedly limited experience'.