Churchyards & Ancient Yews

The churchyards at Temple Ewell and Lydden are a true haven for wildlife and one of the oldest trees in Britain, the ancient yews.

Yew trees, like other veteran trees, hollow out naturally as they grow older, this happens at about 600 years with yews, earlier with other species. This cylindrical shape is particularly strong and hollow trees can withstand storms that bring down younger specimens. Yews have no known upper age limit as they can endlessly regenerate by sending down aerial roots which root in the soil and fuse with the main trunk. In addition, boughs tend to bend to the ground where they will take root and grow.

Burial grounds often contain other species of veteran tree. Whilst these won’t be as old as the oldest yews, they may well be many hundreds of years old and magnificent specimens in their own right. They are likely to have a whole range of other plants, lichens, birds and other animals living in and on them. Look for dead wood within the crown of the tree plus holes, flaking bark and crevices containing a range of fungi, beetles, bats and birds. As we move into the warmer months, the number of insects around increases. There is also a growing variety of insect life around. So, what kind of creatures can you expect to see, and can you find them in our churchyard? Holly Blue Butterfly, Wasp Beetles, Bumblebee, Wasps, Moths and Beetles and even Bats.  How can you help them thrive?  Can you document what you find?