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South Brewham

Nearest town: Wincanton

Site type: churchyard

Access: Public

Church name: St John Baptist

Diocese: Bath and Wells

County: Somerset

Country: England

Grid ref: ST720362

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 17-Feb-00

Recorded by: Tim Hills

Protection & responsibility: Parochial Church Council

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

Notes: Two 'fine yew trees' were described in Lewis's 1848 Topographical Dictionary of England. A pair of male yews grow on the S side of the church. In 2005 the smaller girthed of the pair was threatened with felling. Its hollow nature was misinterpreted as a tree in decline, and its trunk was covered in thick ivy. The tree was fortunate in having some local activists who involved the Ancient Yew Group. Common sense prevailed and a plan to reduce the height of the trees and to remove the ivy, was implemented. The two fine trees are seen here in Peter Norton's 2012 photographs.

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