Llangernyw Yew
The Llangernyw Yew is an ancient yew (Taxus baccata) in the churchyard of the village of Llangernyw in Conwy County Borough, North Wales. The tree is fragmented and its core part has been lost, leaving several enormous offshoots. The girth of the tree at the ground level is 10.75 m.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
This male yew tree lives in the churchyard of St. Dygain's Church in Llangernyw village, North Wales. Although it is very hard to tell the age of yew trees,[2][3] it is believed to be aged between 4,000 years and 5,000 years old, making it the second or third oldest individual (non-clonal colony) living organism in the world.[citation needed] The tree took root sometime in the prehistoric Bronze Age and is still a thriving, healthy and growing tree.
In the mid-1990s the church oil tank stood in the space between the two trunk fragments, however, this was moved when it was realised that the tree was a living Ancient Monument. When this tank was built a lot of the dead wood was removed from the site which makes ageing the tree more difficult for dendrochronologists. In June 2002 the Tree Council, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II designated the Llangernyw Yew tree one of the fifty Great British trees in recognition of its place in national heritage.
The churchyard gate holds a certificate from the Yew Tree Campaign in 2002, signed by Professor David Bellamy certifying that the tree is dated as between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.
[edit] The Legend of the Angelystor
According to local tradition the church yard of Llangernyw is inhabited by an ancient and malign spirit known as the "Recording Angel" or Angelystor[4] that has the power to curse. Every year at Halloween a booming voice could be heard foretelling the names of parishioners who were to die the following year. According to tradition a local man, Siôn Ap Rhobert, doubting the truth of the legend challenged the existence of the spirit one Halloween night only to hear his own name called out. He died within the year (Welsh Folklore, Rev. Elias Owen, 1896).
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Llangernyw Yew". Wondermondo. http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/E/Wales/Conwy/LlangernywYew.htm.
- ^ Harte 1996
- ^ Kinmonth 2006
- ^ William Owen Pughe: A dictionary of the Welsh language. Vol. 1, p. 53 [1]
[edit] References
- Harte, J. (1996). How old is that old yew? At the Edge 4: 1-9. Available online.
- Kinmonth, F. (2006). Ageing the yew - no core, no curve? International Dendrology Society Yearbook 2005: 41-46.
[edit] External links
- The Llangernyw Yew on the World's 10 Oldest Living Trees site
- Ancient Yew Group - Fragmented Yews in Churchyards
- Photo Gallery of the Llangernyw Yew and St. Dygain's Church
- BBC North East Wales: The Angel of Death
Coordinates: 53°11′32″N 3°41′06″W / 53.192333°N 3.6850679°W
