118 



SYLVA BRITANNICA. 



thirty-two feet five inches. Immediately above the 

 latter height there are five principal branches, which 

 shoot out from a stem in a lateral direction ; the 

 girth of which are, five feet five inches ; six feet ten 

 inches ; five feet seven inches ; five feet seven inches ; 

 and five feet nine inches. Above these branches, 

 the trunk measures in the girth twenty feet eight 

 inches. At twelve feet from the ground various 

 branches proceed in every direction, aspiring to the 

 height of forty-nine feet six inches ; and spreading 

 their umbrage to the circumference of two hundred 

 and seven feet. 



THE YEW TREES AT FOUNTAINS' 



ABBEY. 



These venerable Yew Trees stand on a small emi- 

 nence at Studley Royal, near R,ipon, overlooking 

 the ruins at Fountains' Abbey, which celebrated 

 monastery was founded about the end of the year 

 1132, by Thurston, Archbishop of York, for certain 

 Monks, whose consciences being too tender to allow 

 them to indulge in the relaxed habits of their own 

 order, made them desirous of following the more 

 rigorous rule of the Cistercians, founded by the cele- 

 brated Saint Bernard, and then lately introduced 

 into England. Of the origin of Fountains' Abbey, 

 as the date of these Yew Trees is particularly con- 



