BWAG

The Yews of Bredhurst
(Church, Village and Woodland)

Acknowledgments

The following record could not have been compiled without the assistance and contibution of the following people of Bredhurst:-

Vanessa Jones (Chairman of the Bredhurst Woodland Action Group), for introducing me to the yew trees in the Hurst and Monkdown Woods and co-ordinating my visits to those yews on private properties. To Dennis & Pam Newman, Mary Macafee and Mr and Mrs Page for allowing me access to their properties.

My thanks to you all.

This record has been created by Clifford Hansford

Contributory Member of the Ancient Yew Group.
www.ancient-yew.org

Member of the Tree Register.
www.treeregister.org

Member of the Bredhurst Woodland Action Group
www.bwag.org.uk

Email: chansford@blueyonder.co.uk

Tel: 01634 811961

A yew, if left to grow as nature intended, can reach an extremely old age. In Kent alone it is acknowledged that at least 32 yews of those recorded are over 1000 years old. Closer to home, Boxley and Thurnham both have yews 1500 years old whilst those at Ulcombe and Leeds are 2000 years old. The yew tree in the south west corner of St Peter’s church in Boxley is a relative youngster at around 600 to 700 years old.

Such dating would suggest that these trees are in themselves ancient living monuments; indeed, the oldest living things in Europe. Sadly they do not share such status – many in fact are not even protected with a TPO (Tree Preservation Order). The concern is that our yews could become an endangered species.

The majority of yews recorded are found in churchyards which means many predate the church by hundreds of years, suggesting that such churches now occupy sites that were probably already acknowledged as being sacred.

Very much a part of our heritage the yew was itself considered sacred by our ancestors. It was a symbol of death, immortality, change and rebirth.

What of the yews growing in the wild, of those in parkland and on private property? These are now attracting much attention, for a yew growing say on the Downs, in eighteen inches of soil and the rest chalk, can be a fraction of the size of a 1000 year old churchyard yew, yet almost as old. One such yew on the Downs overlooking Boxley is reckoned by English Nature to be 800 years old.

Before WW II it is believed that in Britain there were over 1000 yew trees over 1000 years old. There is nowhere near this number today. To combat this decline the Conservation Foundation has promoted a ‘Plant a Yew for the new Millennium’ campaign to which many churches have responded. Each sapling supplied is nurtured from a cutting taken from a yew known to be at least 1000 years old. Such a gesture should ensure that these new yews will become the ancient yews of the next millennium.

Here in Bredhurst we have a number of significant yews that can be found growing in the village, in the churchyard and in the Hurst and Monkdown Woods. A selection of these are recorded here. It is intended that this record be passed to the Ancient Yew Group for inclusion on their national database of ancient, veteran and significant yews and also that it be registered with the Kent and Medway Biological Record Centre.

To learn of the role of the Ancient Yew Group please visit their website: www.ancient-yew.org.
For more on the subject of the yew see ‘Yew: A History’, Fred Hageneder. “The remarkable story of the oldest living things in Europe and their endangered future”.

St Peters Church, Bredhurst, Kent
Grid Ref: Explorer 148 TQ799622

Date visited: 05/03/07

Nearest town: Rainham

Public access: Yes

Sex: See below.

Location: See Below.

Girth: See Below

The church stands somewhat isolated about ¼ mile east of the village, looking out across the North Downs. It is of Norman origin with heavy 19th century restoration (The Buildings of England, John Newman).

Viewed from the southeast

Viewed from the northwest.

A brick/flint wall encloses the south, east and west boundaries of the churchyard with a chestnut fence to the north.

Yew 1: Female.
Girth 21 feet when measured from the base. Too much lower branch activity prevents a higher measurement.
South westerly location, tucked just inside the churchyard wall.
Many limbs can be seen projecting skyward from this obviously old and hollowed specimen.
Hopefully the church will agree to the removal of the notice board which tends to reduce the yew’s impact.
Bevan Jones would estimate this yew to be within 700 to 1000 yrs old.
Allen Meredith would suggest this is possible.

Yew 1: As seen looking south.

A fine display of lower branch activity. Its decaying inner limbs can be clearly seen, as can a removed limb of some time ago. Four significant limbs in total have been removed from the tree.

No ivy invading this yew.

Yew 1: As seen looking southeast.

The hollow aspects of the yew’s older limbs can be seen from this angle.

The height of the wall as seen in this view, when compared with the first view of the yew is a good indication of the mound this yew has created/is standing on.

Yew 1: As seen looking west.

Yours truly adding some perspective.

Yew 1: As seen looking west, in all its glory

Yew 1: As seen looking west, displaying a pretty full canopy.

The building behind houses the boiler/s for the church’s heating system.

A clearer view of how the ground rises in this corner of the churchyard.

Yew 1: As seen looking into the yews cavernous interior.

Picture taken between the notice board and trunk. The metal bar which helps support the notice board is a real intrusion on the sacredness of the tree’s decaying centre heart.

The colours are quite spectacular.

Yew 1: Another view of the interior.

Yew 2: Female.

Girth 11 feet when measured from the base. Too much lower branch activity prevents a higher measurement.

Located in the south, immediately outside the porch entrance.
No ivy visible. The yew has many limbs and has the appearance of being Irish.

Bevan Jones believes an age of between 250 to 300 yrs old is possible.
Allen Meredith would agree.

Yew 2: View taken facing east.

When examined closely the tree foliage on the left compares with those of an English yew whilst those on the right compare with that of an Irish yew. Is there such a thing as a hybrid?

Yew 2: View facing east again.

I can’t make up my mind about the nature of this yew. If it is Irish, then the weather has spread its foliage apart.

Yew 3: Female.

Girth 11ft 6ins when measured from the base. Too much lower branch activity to measure higher. At 1ft 6ins above the ground the girth increases and the trunk separates into a considerable number of significant limbs which rise straight and high.

Located in the south east.
Ivy becoming established. Some minor limbs removed. Some branches now very close to the church roof. Black fluid oozing from the base (northern side).

Bevan Jones believes an age of between 250 to 300 yrs old is possible.
Allen Meredith would agree.

Yew 3:

View facing north-east.

A largish Ivy vine can be seen ascending the trunk with ivy foliage clearly visible amongst the yew foliage.

Yew 3:

Close-up view of the encroaching Ivy vine and foliage.

Yew 4: Male.

Girth 9ft 6ins when measured from the base. Too much lower branch activity prevents taking a higher measurement.

Located in the north-east. (View facing north).

Hollow centre with six limbs projecting upwards. Number of minor limbs removed.

Yew is situated in an area with a ground level noticeably lower than the rest of the churchyard.

Bevan Jones believes an age of between 250 to 300 yrs old is possible.
Allen Meredith would agree.

Yew 4:

View taken facing east showings some of the yew’s hollowness.

Yew 4:

View taken facing north. It couldn’t be more closer to the churchyard wall. The yew has a fine crown.

Yew 5: Male

Smallish – not measured. Looks Irish!

Yew/s 6: Male

Smallish – not measured. Looks Irish!

Arran Bank Farm and Bredhurst Hurst

Both the above are an integral part of the North Downs.

Arran Bank Farm sits above the Hurst and its adjoining woodland, Monkdown Woods. The farm’s land slopes down to the woodland valley, with modest tree groves occupying its east facing slopes. It’s towards the farm’s northern boundary that the large yew can be found with smaller, numerous grove-like yews nearby.

Bredurst Hurst and Monkdown Woods (Bredhurst Wood)

Bredhurst Wood is a complex area of under-managed, ancient semi-natural woodland and other habitats situated over two dry dipslope valleys of the North Downs and the ridge between them. It occupies approximately 176ha
to the south-east of the village.

Ancient Woodland is a term used to describe an area which has been continuously wooded since at least the 16th Century. The wood has clearly been managed as coppice woodland, possibly and most likely probably, for centuries.

Within the woods are a number of historical artefacts such as woodbanks and ancient boundaries. Along the woodbanks can be found a number of fine pollarded trees, some of which may be boundary markers.

The local wildlife site survey (Kent Wildlife Trust) describes the ground flora as very rich with fifty ancient woodland indicator species. These are plants which are found more or less exclusively in Ancient Woodlands and as the term suggests they are used to give an indication as to whether or not the wood retains features of ancient woodland. Generally a wood is considered ancient if it has eighteen or more of these plants. Lady orchid Orchis purpurea which is restricted to Kent occurs under Yew ……….

Ancient woodland cannot be recreated and in many instances is a direct link with the original wildwood and can contain more plant and animal species than almost any other habitat. As demonstrated at Bredhurst this provides woodlands of a diverse character with hornbeam, oak and ash on the clay and flinty soils and more beech and Yew where the chalk dominates. (There is also hazel, hawthorn, field maple and chestnut).

A point worthy of note is that mixed woodlands containing yew populations attract a higher number of birds than other woods – Williamson, R. (1978). The Great Yew Forest – The Natural History of Kingley Vale, London, Macmillan.

Male yew growing on a north-east sloping bank, Arran Bank Farm. Grid Ref: TQ7946161516.

Girth: 16 feet at ground level, when measured parallel to the sloping bank. Lower branch/twig activity prevented measuring higher up the trunk.

Modest hollowing occurs 3 feet above ground level. Many lower branches are now dead but intact.

Site is very characteristic of the North Downs - shallow soil on chalk.

It is quite possible for this yew to be 600 or more years old.

Vanessa Jones helps give the yew perspective.

An example of the grove-like yews growing on the slopes of Arran Bank Farm. All four views feature yews located to the south of the large yew recorded above. They are very characteristic of downland type yews – serpentine roots (or could they be lower branches?), with both fluted and plane trunks, some stunted, some tall.

None of the yews were measured but an estimate would suggest they are between five and nine-feet circumference.

More of the Arran Bank Farm

The next three views feature a line of yews along the north-eastern boundary bank of Bredhurst Hurst at a point where an interior track meets footpath KH56. The line continues to the end of the Hurst, where they meet another line of yews which descend down the slope to join the northern most corner of the Hurst boundary.

That the yews are in line suggests they were planted. This is a fine example of yews being used to form a boundary, in this instance between the woodland and where it gives way to the slopes of chalk grassland.

These yews with their serpentine roots can be found on the chalky slopes that form the banks of what I believe to be a drover route (possibly described as a ride) that passes through the Hurst.

Two views of yews growing on the internal slopes within the Hurst.

Male yew situated in Monkdown Wood. Grid Ref:- TQ79587 61370
Girth: 6ft 7ins when measured 2ft from ground. (8ft 4ins when measured to include additional trunk).
This yew is growing at the base of an acknowledged medieval bank.
The tree is layering. Lower branches are very dry.
Pictured here, giving an idea of scale, is Mrs Pam Newman, on whose ground the yew is growing.
This yew is used by Ordnance Survey as a boundary marker between landowners in the same woods.

Viewed from the opposite direction giving a good view of the medieval boundary bank.

Another view featuring the yew and bank with a clear indication of the trees frail canopy.

Bredhurst Village Yews

Five yews located in the village are recorded here.

Yews 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be found growing in the grounds of Grove House, which dates from 1840. None are covered by a TPO. It is the intension that a TPO be obtained. I would suggest that yew 1 at least, pre-dates this date. Perhaps the other three were planted around the time the house was built, specifically in as near north, south and easterly positions to compliment the existing yew.

Yew 5 is in the grounds of Green Court and is covered by a TPO.

I would like these yews to be considered as being among the trees “…found outside the woodland [the loss of which] should be avoided, as these are important biodiversity resources as well” Bredhurst Wood Management Plan Synopsis 07/03/07.

It is requested that the names of the owners and locations of the yews be withheld. There is no public access.

Yew 1: Female
Located in a westerly position.
Girth: 9ft 8ins, 3ft from the ground. 11ft 8ins at the point of trunk separation. The yew has a very healthy crown which measures 50ft across. At a height of 5ft the trunk separates into two main trunks before dividing again into several limbs.

Yew 1: As viewed from the SE

Yew 1: Close-up

Yew 2: Female
Located in a south-easterly position.
Girth: 7ft 3ins, 3ft from the ground. At a height of 5ft 6ins the trunk separates into five separate limbs. This yew also has a very healthy crown. No hollowing is apparent.

Yew 2: Displaying more of its crown.

Yew 3: Male
Located in an easterly position. Strong looking bole.
Girth: 9ft, 4ft from the ground, though with much lower branch activity making an exact measurement difficult. At a height of 6ft the trunk separates into three separate limbs. There is also some hollowing apparent at this height. Again a very healthy crown. Some ivy is beginning to take hold.

Yew 4: Female
Located in a north-easterly position. Strong rugged looking bole, with a healthy looking crown.
Girth: 7ft, 3ft from the ground. Again lower branch activity makes an exact measurement difficult. At a height of 5ft 6ins the trunk separates into many limbs. Largish ivy vine beginning to take hold!

Yew 5: Male
Located in an easterly position. An abundance of new foliage on branches which drape to the ground like a crinoline dress.
Girth: 6ft, 4ft from the ground. Two branches appear to be layering (firmly fixed to the ground). The yew has what appears to be a large form of fungi on its easterly side and is also ‘weeping’ (see below).

Yew 5: As viewed from under the foliage.

Yew 5: ‘Weeping’

Yew 5: ‘Fungi’