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The Llangernyw Yew () is an ancient yew (''
This yew tree lives in the churchyard of St. Digain's Church in Llangernyw village. Although it is very hard to determine the age of yew trees, the churchyard gate holds a certificate from the Yew Tree Campaign in 2002, signed by
*
online
*Kinmonth, F. (2006)
"Ageing the yew – no core, no curve?"
''International Dendrology Society Yearbook'' 2005: 41–46. *
Ancient Yew Group – Fragmented Yews in Churchyards
{{coord, 53.192333, N, 3.685068, W, region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SH875674), display=title Individual yew trees Llangernyw Tourist attractions in Conwy County Borough Individual trees in Wales Oldest trees
Taxus baccata
''Taxus baccata'' is a species of evergreen tree in the family Taxaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe (including Britain and Ireland), northwest Africa, northern Iran, and southwest Asia.Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain ...
'') in the village of Llangernyw
Llangernyw () is a rural, mostly Welsh-speaking, village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales.
Overview
At the 2011 census, the community had a population of 1,079 of whom 63.7 percent were Welsh speakers. The comparable figures for the ...
, Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
, North Wales
, area_land_km2 = 6,172
, postal_code_type = Postcode
, postal_code = LL, CH, SY
, image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg
, map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...
. 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 .
History
This yew tree lives in the churchyard of St. Digain's Church in Llangernyw village. Although it is very hard to determine the age of yew trees, the churchyard gate holds a certificate from the Yew Tree Campaign in 2002, signed by David Bellamy
David James Bellamy (18 January 1933 – 11 December 2019) was an English botanist, television presenter, author and environmental campaigner.
Early and personal life
Bellamy was born in London to parents Winifred May (née Green) and Thoma ...
, which states that "according to all the data we have to hand" the tree is dated to between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. There is an alternative theory that presumes the tree is only as old as the adjacent saint site, which would make it around 1,500 years old.
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 ancient. When this tank was built a lot of the dead wood was removed from the site which makes dating the age of the tree more difficult for dendrochronologists. In June 2002, the Tree Council, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as ...
designated the Llangernyw Yew tree one of the Fifty Great British trees in recognition of its place in national heritage.
Legend of the Angelystor
According to local tradition, the church of Llangernyw is inhabited by an ancient spirit known as ''Angelystor'' (the "Recording Angel" or "Evangelist" in Welsh). This tradition holds that every year atHalloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
a booming voice foretells the names of parishioners who will die the following year. Folklore tells of a disbelieving local man, Siôn Ap Rhobert, who challenged the existence of the spirit one Halloween night only to hear his own name called out, followed by his death within the year.Owen 1896, p. 170.
See also
* List of oldest trees
This is a list of the oldest-known trees, as reported in reliable sources. Definitions of what constitutes an individual tree vary. In addition, tree ages are derived from a variety of sources, including documented "tree-ring" (dendrochronologica ...
* List of Great British Trees
The Great British Trees were 50 trees selected by The Tree Council in 2002 to spotlight trees in the United Kingdom in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
England
Western England
* Tortworth Chestnut in Tortworth, Gloucestershire
* We ...
* List of individual trees
The following is a list of notable trees. Trees listed here are regarded as important or specific by their historical, national, locational, natural or mythological context. The list includes actual trees located throughout the world, as well as ...
* Fortingall Yew
The Fortingall Yew is an ancient European yew (''Taxus baccata'') in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland. Considered one of the oldest trees in Britain, modern estimates place its age at an average of 5,000 years.
...
Notes
References
* *Harte, J. (1996). "How old is that old yew?" ''At the Edge'' 4: 1–9. Availablonline
*Kinmonth, F. (2006)
"Ageing the yew – no core, no curve?"
''International Dendrology Society Yearbook'' 2005: 41–46. *
External links
Ancient Yew Group – Fragmented Yews in Churchyards
{{coord, 53.192333, N, 3.685068, W, region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SH875674), display=title Individual yew trees Llangernyw Tourist attractions in Conwy County Borough Individual trees in Wales Oldest trees