THE DARLEY YEW. 



"3 



planted three times, and have made shoots 10 and 12 inches long 

 this year, and that no other yew is so free growing. 



On the whole, everything being fully considered, I am unable 

 to assign more than 700 years to the age of the yew. 



The following facts may, perhaps, fortify this view. A custom 

 seems to have prevailed, from very early times, of planting a yew 

 opposite to the south porch of a Church. An extremely old yew 

 is so placed at Beeley ; another is at Mayfield ; and a very large 

 and old one at Mugginton, and formerly there was one at Chel- 

 morton, and, if I rightly understand the picture of St. John's at 

 Belper, in Mr. Cox's work,* there is another there, and I have 

 since heard of many similar instances in other counties. This 

 naturally leads to the inference that there was some reason for 

 planting yews in such a position, and the probability is, that it 

 had some connection with some religious ceremony. At first it 

 occurred to me that a funeral was the cause. The reason why the 

 yew was " so universally planted in our Churchyards was, 

 doubtless, from its being thought a symbol of immortality, the tree 

 being so lasting and always green. "t Evelyn also tells us that 

 " garlands of taxus were usually worn at funerals ; as Statius 

 implies. 



Fugere meos Parnassia crines 

 Vellera. funestamque hederis irrepere taxum 

 Extimui, trepidamque (nefas) arescere laurum.''J 



A yew planted opposite the porch, through which a corpse 

 was carried, would be in the place best adapted for mourners 

 to obtain a branch. 



Dr. Hunter, however, says that " the best reason why the yew 

 was planted in Churchyards is, that branches of it were carried in 

 procession on Palm Sunday instead of the palm;" and he cites 

 from Caxton's Direction for keeping feasts, the following relating 

 to Palm Sunday : " Wherefore Holy Church this day makyth 

 solemn processyon. in mind of the processyon that Cryst made 



Vol., iii., 142. + I. Evelyn's Silva, 267, 5th Ed. 



% Statius lib. v. 3, line 7. Expicedion in patrem. 



