204 Yew- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



There are also two other good-sized trees one 

 on the west, and the other on the east side of the 

 churchyard. 



The Crum Castle yew, according to a statement 

 of Mr. Henderson, 1 grows on a small mound of 

 earth, 4 feet above the level of the surrounding 

 surface. ' Its branches . . . are now supported by 

 sixteen oak posts with their bark on. Its height is 

 1 8 feet 6 inches ; the trunk is 9 feet 3 inches in 

 girth at i foot 5 inches from the ground ; and the 

 space covered by the branches is 70 feet 6 inches 

 in diameter. Its branches are so interwoven and 

 plaited together through each other, that it is 

 almost impossible to trace any one of them from 

 the trunk to its extremity. This, indeed, is the cause 

 of the very remarkable appearance of the tree ; 

 but at what time, or by whose hands, this labour 

 has been performed, is unknown. The tree is 

 supposed to be three or four centuries old, and has 

 rather the appearance of being on the decline . . . 

 It is a female plant, and bears annually abundance 

 of fruit. This singular tree is surrounded by a 

 yew hedge, which is kept neatly clipped.' This 

 explains the appearance of the tree, which has at 

 some time been clipped, and afterwards allowed to 

 grow naturally like that at Harlington. It is pro- 

 bably not more than two hundred years old. 



Cruxton. 'This yew stood close to Cruxton 



1 London, Arboretum, vol. iv. 2081. 



