Jane Austen's father was the rector at Steventon, and her oldest brother was rector thereafter. In the churchyard there is a large yew tree. A plaque in the church informs one that the tree has been determined to be at least 900 years old.
When Jane Austen was a little girl, the Steventon tree would have been almost as large, and she would have played under this same tree, then 700 years old. A modern visitor to Steventon is seeing pretty much the tree that Jane Austen knew.
Sir Walter Scott, in a footnote in Ivanhoe, mentions that King Edward I decreed that yew trees should be planted in all English churchyards, in order that there would be a plentiful supply of wood for longbows. (Other information says that was King Edward III; Scott may have been mistaken about which Edward. Someone has observed that English yews do not make good longbow wood, that Spanish yew is needed. However, that does not mean that the purpose of Edward's decree was not to ensure a domestic supply of bowwood; there are other instances of trees being planted with unexpected results, such as the eucalyptus groves in California.)
Edward I ruled 1272-1307. The Steventon yew tree must have been planted 200 years earlier. Perhaps it was common practice to plant yew trees in English churchyards even in Saxon times. (Some people have observed that English churches were likely set up at locations of pagan worship, where yews were situated. Thus very old yews trees predate the nearby churches. However, by 1000-1100, when the Steventon yew was planted, that region of England had been Christian for centuries.)
Some yew trees have been reported to be thousands of years old. The yew tree apparently sends down a new root after its innards rot away from water, and begins again. A tree inside of itself, so to speak. (Thanks to Jason for this poetic image.)
In Japan, the yew tree is called "Ichi-i", which means the highest rank in society. The staff of Ten'no (Emperor) is made of yew, so yew trees are very noble wood in Japan. The Hida district produces good wood including Japanese yew. There the skill of wood carving is much refined and the name "Carver of Hida" has earned respect as the best skilled artisan for over a thousand years. Today, dolls carved in yew are a noted product in Hida. (Thanks to Ryu Yotsuya for this information.)
A number of other people have sent me information about yew trees, and I thank them very kindly. My remaining questions are rather specific ones, about the churchyard at Steventon and the yew tree which is located there, and to attempt to clear up the Edward I vs III point.
Questions:
1. Was the churchyard at Steventon a place of worship as early as 1100? That is, was the yew tree there planted at a church site, or was the church established where a yew tree was growing?
2. Was it Edward I, or Edward III, who decreed that yew trees be planted in churchyards? Or neither - perhaps there was no such decree? Is the text of that decree online somewhere? Was its purpose to ensure a supply of longbow wood, as Scott wrote?
E-Mail: Ken Roberts
ken2@mirror.org
URL:
http://www.mirror.org/ken.roberts/yew.tree.html
Last revised February 2, 2001 by
Ken Roberts
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