Did yew know? Most of Europe’s ancient yews are found in the UK, and 80% of our yew trees are now found in churches!
There are about 800 of these wonderful trees in the churchyards of England and Wales, with 5 of them in ours. Britain is a stronghold of veteran yew trees and so these churchyard yews are really important on a global level. They are a national treasure which deserves recognition and celebration.
Fortunately, they expect very little help from humans, apart from leaving them alone. Keeping ivy to a minimum is helpful, as is ensuring no shrubs or larger plants grow within their root curtilage (slighter larger than their overhead spread).
Next time you are wandering through the churchyard just look at them and marvel at their fantastic trunks and wonderful bark. But be warned, yews are also very toxic to humans and livestock (bark, leaves and the red ‘berries’), and yet life-savers as well. Yew trees contain the highly poisonous taxine alkaloids that have been developed as anti-cancer drugs. The fruit is eaten by birds, such as the blackbird, mistle thrush, song thrush and fieldfare; and small mammals, including squirrels and dormice. The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the satin beauty moth.
Last Updated on 18th February 2026