Notes Harlington, Henbury 221 



cepting that perhaps at Broomfield, in Somerset- 

 shire.' 1 



In 1838 Loudon 2 says it was 58 feet high, with 

 a trunk 9 feet, and a head of 50 feet in diameter. 



Hood's lines are singularly applicable to this 

 tree : 



' The very yew Formality had trained 

 To such a rigid pyramidal stature, 

 For want of trimming had almost regained 

 The ruggedness of nature.' 3 



At Henbitry, near Bristol, the residence of 

 Edward Sampson, Esq., there is a yew avenue, 

 80 yards in length, height 16 feet. The age is 

 supposed to be two hundred years. There cannot 

 be much doubt that it was planted in 1688, when 

 the house was built. All the trees have recently 

 been opened out, and it is evident that the stems 

 were cut down to 4 feet less than a hundred years 

 ago, as the dead centres have a diameter of 10 to 12 

 inches. Young shoots have formed rings round the 

 stem in many cases, and in several instances a 

 second ring has formed. One of these, which at 

 the ground has a girth of 6 '6 feet, measures 9 feet 

 at 3 feet. 



The effect of cropping in diminishing the rate of 

 increase is well seen by comparing these stems 

 with two uncropped trees, one at the end of each 



1 Memoir of an Ex- Minister , p. 496. 



2 Arboretum, vol. viii. s The Haunted House. 



