2076 ARHOKETUM AND FHIVMCETUM. PART III. 



The Tishunj Ycn\ " In the churchyard of Tisbury, in Dorsetshire, there 

 is now standing, and in fine foliage, although the trunk is <;uite hollow, an 

 immense ve\\ tree, which measures 37 ft. in circumference, and the limbs are 

 proportionally large. The tree is entered by means of a rustic gate; ami 

 seventeen persons lately breakfasted in its interior. It is said to have been 

 planted, mam generations ago, by the Arundel family." (Lander s (iii'j)in.) 



The Iftli-y 'Yew stands in Iffley churchyard, near Oxford, nearly opposite 

 the south-east corner of the church, and between that anil an ancient cross. 

 This tree is supposed to be coeval with the church, which, it is believed, was 

 built previously to the Norman conquest. The dimensions of the tree, kindly 

 taken for us in September, 1830, by Mr. Baxter, were as follows : Girt of 

 the trunk, at 2 ft. from the ground, 20 ft., and at 4ft. from the ground, where 

 the branches begin, 17ft. The trunk is now little more than a shell, and 

 there is an opening on the east side of the tree which is 4 ft. high, and about 

 4 ft. in width ; the cavity within is 7 ft. long, 4ft. wide, and 4ft. high in the 

 highest part. The height of the tree is 22 ft.; and there are about 20 principal 

 branches, all of which, except two, are in a very vigorous and flourishing 

 state. The diameter of the head is 25 ft. each w ay. A very good, but very 

 small, figure of this tree may be seen in the south-west view of IrHey church, 

 given in the Memorials of Oxford, No. 31. It is also seen in a woodcut of 

 the north-cast view, close to the corner of the chancel, in the same work. 



A /arqc Yew Hedge in the Oxford Botanic Garden, which was rooted up in 

 1834, hacl its branches crossing each other in various directions, and so com- 

 pletely inosculated, that after the hedge was cut down, they were formed, 

 without nailing, into the backs of rustic garden chairs, and similar articles; 

 several of which are now preserved in the botanic garden. 



The Ankenn/kc Yew, near Staines, of which a figure is given by Strutt, is 

 supposed to be upwards of 1000 years old. Henry VIII. was said to have 

 made it his place of meeting with Anna Boleyn, while she was living at 

 Staines; and Magna Charta was signed within sight of it, on the island in 

 the Thames between Runnymede and Ankerwyke. The girt of this tree, at 

 3 ft. from the ground, is '27ft. 8 in. ; and at 8ft. it is 32 ft. 5 in. ; it then 

 throws out five principal branches, and at 12 ft. numerous others, which form 

 a magnificent head, 49 ft, 6 in. high, and 69 ft, in diameter. The following 

 lines on this tree are quoted by Strutt : 



" What scenes have pass'd, since first this ancient \cw, 

 In all the strength of youthful beauty grew: 



Here too, the tyrant Henry felt love's flame, 

 And, sighing, breathed his" Anna Holeyn's name. 

 Hencath the shelter of this yew tree's shade 

 The royal lover woo'd the ill-starrM maid : 

 And yet that neck, round which he fondly hung, 

 To hear the thrilling accents of her tongue ; 

 That lovely breast, on which his head reclined, 

 Form'd to have humanised his savage mind : 

 Were doom'd to bleed beneath the tyrant's steel, 

 Whose selfish heart could doat. hut could not feel." 



The Ar/hiitton, or llrirlnigtun, Yeii< stands in the churchyard of the village 

 of that name, between Brentford and Honnslow. It is chiefly remarkable 

 for its larLje si/e, and for having once been clipped into the regular form shown 

 in /?i/. lf)S(i. This engraving is copied from a print of the tree, as it appeared 

 MI November, 17.2f); and this print is accompanied by a copy of verses by 

 " Poet John Saxv," from which it appears that it must at that time have 

 been between oO ft. and GO ft. in height. It was surrounded at the bottom 

 of its trunk by a wooden seat, above which, at 10 ft. from the ground, was a 

 large circular canopy, formed by the tree itself, which was, according to 

 " Poet Saxv " (who was clerk of the parish), 



" So thick, o fine, co full, so wide, 



A troop of guards might under it ride. ' 



Ten feet above this canopy was another, of much smaller dimensions; and 



