The 'graveyard' tree. dark and massive it sits sturdy and strong guarding the dead, though Geoffrey Grigson says according to a 1664 quote that rather than scare away devils it was planted because they "attracts and imbibes putrefaction and oleaginous vapours exhaled out of the Graves by the setting sun and sometimes drawn into those Meteors called Ignes Fatui".
Ignus Fatui; Is in fact a will-of-the wisp, those strange lights you occasionally finding dancing over a bog, etc, caused I believe by the gases that explode from the wet ground.
Well putting some of that to one side, originally the Yew was the guardian of the Home. the deity or the dwelling place of this protective deity. On a more practical front the Yew tree/trees would have protected the house from the strong winds (that we are now experiencing) and of course the wood has been used on the Iron Age bow found at Glastonbury, and even earlier in Palaeolithic times it was used for spears.
Trees have travelled through history with their own tales and myths, the yews heavy dense darkness makes it malignant, it grows old, so that one can record its history over hundreds of years. The interior of the trunk can become hollowed, making room inside for you to sit down such as this one in Much Marcle by the church.
The yews in our churchyard are untidy and badly cut, but the coral-red of their berries brightens up their darkness, they represent the colours of Xmas, dark green and red. Like the holly tree above, the pigeons have left this feast of berries for later times whilst they demolish the berries on the holly in the copse.
The berries on the yews were knowns as 'snotty gogs' and various different renditions of the word 'snot!
https://northstoke.blogspot.com/2017/08/william-wordsworth-yew-trees.html
Ignus Fatui; Is in fact a will-of-the wisp, those strange lights you occasionally finding dancing over a bog, etc, caused I believe by the gases that explode from the wet ground.
Well putting some of that to one side, originally the Yew was the guardian of the Home. the deity or the dwelling place of this protective deity. On a more practical front the Yew tree/trees would have protected the house from the strong winds (that we are now experiencing) and of course the wood has been used on the Iron Age bow found at Glastonbury, and even earlier in Palaeolithic times it was used for spears.
Trees have travelled through history with their own tales and myths, the yews heavy dense darkness makes it malignant, it grows old, so that one can record its history over hundreds of years. The interior of the trunk can become hollowed, making room inside for you to sit down such as this one in Much Marcle by the church.
The yews in our churchyard are untidy and badly cut, but the coral-red of their berries brightens up their darkness, they represent the colours of Xmas, dark green and red. Like the holly tree above, the pigeons have left this feast of berries for later times whilst they demolish the berries on the holly in the copse.
The berries on the yews were knowns as 'snotty gogs' and various different renditions of the word 'snot!
https://northstoke.blogspot.com/2017/08/william-wordsworth-yew-trees.html
Such a nasty name for such a lovely tree. Ours struggle here because of the heavy rains and never get as big as yours...except in the more open areas. I have a miniature yew next to my house that grows just slowly. It can provide shelter on the south side for feathered friends.
ReplyDeleteThat they grow so slowly means you never get to see them in full flush. They are a protective tree, years ago people planted an evergreen called Leylandi as a hedge. These hedges grew at a prolific rate and caused many a neighbour dispute!
DeleteMy favourite yew stands in Hubberholme churchyard in Wharfedale - it was also a favourite with JB Priestly whose ashes are scattered there. I met him once when I was wandering round there - he was charming and very chatty.
ReplyDeleteIt looks a charming place Hubberholme, fancy meeting Priestley, three times married and describes himself as a 'lusty' man ;). His output of work was tremendous but I don't think I have ever read him...
ReplyDelete