Marbury

April 1992 – In response to the Conservation’s Country Living ‘Yew Tree Campaign’, Jill Blades reported two yews that were both dead. The tree pictured here, east of the church, she described as follows: “For as long as my mother (in her 60s and pictured here standing by the stump) has known this tree, it has been dead. And yet so keen were the villagers of the past to preserve the remains in an upright position, that the tree was chained around its girth – the rusty chain can still be seen today. Rather a bizarre episode until you hear that the church of St Michael’s will undoubtedly fall into the Mere if the old yew falls!” Measurements of 10′ 4” at 3′ and 10′ 6” at 4′ were reported and a certificate giving an estimated age of 400 years was sent to the church.
A second dead yew was also reported, growing west of the church and girthing 21′ 6” at both 3′ and 4′. A certificate with an estimated age of 1200 years was issued for this tree.
August 1999 – Tim Hills: A10′ tall stump with a chain around the top to prevent it from splitting. Its fine white wood sculptural features have all but lost their silky lustre as water penetrates and it begins to rot. I was unaware of the second yew noted by Jill Blades.