THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



these trees in Berkshire. We are not without evi- 

 dence of a similar kind in Hampshire relating to the 

 growth and measurement of yew trees. On the north 

 side of the churchyard of East Woodhay there is a 

 yew in a vigorous state of growth, which was 

 planted there by Bishop Ken, who was rector about 

 1669. This information was given me some years ago 

 by the late rector, the Rev. Dr. Merriman, whose re- 

 mains now lie not far from this tree. It will be re- 

 membered that Bishop Ken was the author of the 

 well known morning and evening hymns. His sister 

 married Isaac Walton, the well known angler. I last 

 saw the yew tree at Woodhay in June 1888, when I 

 and Mr. J. T. Hamilton, of Southampton, measured 

 the tree about three feet above the ground. We 

 found the girth at this height to be 91 inches, or 7 feet 

 7 inches. This tree appears to have had rather a 

 slower rate of growth than those recorded by Mr. 

 Money, but it must be remembered that differences in 

 soil and situation would cause a considerable degree 

 of difference in the rate of growth. 



" The finest avenue of yews we have in Hampshire 

 is that at Chilton Candover, near one of the sources 

 of the Candover stream, an upper branch of the 

 Itchen. This avenue is about half a mile long, and is 

 an imposing sight, particularly in winter. The tree s 

 may be described as still in a vigorous state of 

 growth, although probably four or five hundred years 

 old. That difference in soil makes a difference in the 

 rate of growth of the yew is well seen at Chilton 

 Candover, where some of the trees in the avenue are 

 considerably larger than others. They have all the 

 appearance of being planted at one time, but the 

 avenue extends from east to west down a chalk slope, 

 consequently there has been considerable rain wash 

 down the slope, and a deeper soil has been formed 

 near the bottom of the slope than remains on the 

 upper part. The largest yews in the avenue are, as 

 might be expected, where the soil is the best." 



Mr. J. R. Wise, in his work on " The New Forest,' 

 gives the measurement of a yew in Brockenhurst 

 churchyard, "which, from the Conqueror's day to this 

 hour, has darkened the graves of generations," as 17 

 feet. He adds : " An enormous yew, completely 

 hollow, however, stands in Breamore churchyard, 

 measuring 2$ft 4in. There are certainly no yews in 

 the Forest so large as these ; and their evidence 

 would further show that at all events the Conqueror 

 did not destroy the churchyards." At Sloden, near 

 Fritham. on the north-west confines of the New 

 Forest, he mentions " a thick wood of yews, stand- 

 ing, massive and black, in all their depth of foliage, 

 mixed, in loveliest contrast, with clumps of white- 

 beams." 



In Upper Clatford churchyard, near Andover, there 

 is a fine old yew tree, with 13 separate trunks, all un- 

 doubtedly growing from the old shell. This place 

 was visited by the Hampshire Field Club on August 

 19, 1886, and at that meeting (reported in the 



Hampshire Independent, August 21, 1886) Mr. T. W. 

 Shore referred to that tree as an evidence of the 

 practical immortality of the yew. As the old tree 

 decayed the young grew and flourished. At Mottis- 

 font, Tisted, and many other places there were, he 

 said, instances of the transition of yews from decayed 

 trees to growing trees. 



At Hurstbourne Priors (Dr. Joseph Stephens tells 

 us in his " Parochial History ot St. Mary Bourne") 

 " a fine yew tree stands in the churchyard on the 

 south side. Its age from its stature can scarcely be 

 less than seven or eight hundred years. It was most 

 likely planted at the building of the Norman church." 



Perhaps, some one or other of our readers may 

 take sufficient interest in the subject to make a list ot 

 the principal yews and other trees in the county, 

 with their measurements and any records as to their 

 age. Communications on the subject are invited for 

 publication in this column. 



HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB. 



VISIT TO WINCHFIELD, ODIHAM, AND 

 GREYWELL. 



The Club paid a visit on Saturday to the north- 

 eastern corner of the county, when besides three 

 churches, each one containing some feature of special, 

 if not unique, interest, the remains of Odiham Castle 

 and some other medieval buildings were inspected. 

 The probabilities at first appeared against there 

 being a large party, as the weather could not be 

 looked forward to with confidence, but as contingents 

 were met from different directions the party was 

 brought up to over 40. Starting from Winchfield 

 Station, steps were first directed to Winchfield 

 Church, a building of Norman date, with a very 

 curious carved chancel arch. It appears, indeed, as 

 Mr. T. W. Shore mentioned, to be unique in Hamp- 

 shire, if not in England, for its varied Norman archi- 

 tecture. The small round ornate chancel arch is very 

 peculiar, and approaches to the Moorish style, 

 forming an instance of the influence in this country of 

 Eastern architecture. Mr. F. Mason Good, who 

 acted, with Mr. T. W. Shore, as one of the directors 

 for the day, apologised here for the unavoidable 

 absence of the rector, the Rev. F. C. Seymour, and 

 read the following notes which the rector had pre- 

 pared : 



WIXCHFIELD CHURCH. 



The church is dedicated to St. Mary, the Virgin date 

 about 1150 late Norman. It is not mentioned in Dooms- 

 day. Originally the church consisted of tower, nave, and 

 chancel. The porch was added in Henry VIU's time ; the 

 north aisle in 1849. The south door is a fine specimen of 

 Norman work with some peculiar decorations, such as the 

 lotus leaf on the easternmost capital identical with some 

 similar work at St. Cross, Winchester. The font is a plain 

 basin of Purbeck marble similar to the one now in St. 



