The Lee

February 2001 – Tim Hills: The first two images show the yew in its former glory.
The first is a watercolour of The Lee Old Church and yew tree by William Callow, 1865, from the collections of Buckinghamshire County Museum Trust. Part of a second notable yew tree can also be seen on the left side of the painting.
The second painting is a watercolour of The Lee Old Church and yew tree by Harriet Callow, 1855-1870, also from the collections of Buckinghamshire County Museum Trust. The paintings are the only evidence of how the tree looked before it was blown down.
In 2001 I recorded the large fallen yew, on ground where the undergrowth was almost impenetrable even in February. Girth at 5′ was at least 14′ . Many young yews had germinated beneath its branches.