Angmering

2009 – Owen Johnson: A forking tree, just starting to hollow, with a girth of 590cm (19′ 4”) around the base (allowing for two gravestones which it is in the process of swallowing), and I estimated it to be about 500 years old, though some people might say it’s older. It had been cut hard back perhaps 40 years ago and has regrown very vigorously – until recent tree-surgery there were so many sprouts and so much ivy that I’d missed it completely on my first visit to Angmering, assuming it to be the same age as a few smaller yews here.
October 2009 – Angmering Village Life News Archive: Earlier this year, the Church authorities, with the agreement of Arun District Council, reduced the crown of the Yew by one third. A tree expert’s opinion was that incorrect advice had been given which has resulted in serious damage to the tree which will take a number of years to recover. What is of concern is that, such is the present poor state of the tree, a number of people have been overheard saying that the tree is in a sad state, or is dying, and should be removed. We must not allow this to happen. The tree has recently been added to the Tree Register of the British Isles as a Notable Tree and has been entered on the Ancient and Veteran Yew National Gazetteer. Notwithstanding this, the tree is in danger of future inappropriate treatment if action is not taken to prevent this by placing a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on it. Mike Pearn, a village resident with a particular interest in trees, has written a definitive article on the churchyard Yews and the need for TPOs to be placed on both the ancient tree and a 19thC one. Arun District Council for some reason does not think the ancient tree meets the TPO criteria but Mr Pearn, Dr Owen Johnson (the tree expert) and others think they are seriously mistaken. Angmering Village Life supports Mr Pearn’s campaign to have a TPO placed on these trees to safeguard them for future generations of villagers as they are part of our heritage.
May 2013 – Peter Norton: ‘With the tape undulating and close to the ground a minimum girth of 19′ 2” (594cm) was noted on this male tree’.