yew

The Crowhurst Yew, now situated in the grounds of St George's Church, is reputed to be over 4,000 years old. As such it predates the church by at least 2,000 years and probably much more as the first record we have of a church on the site dates from the 8th century. Like many ancient Yew trees in Britain it is one of the oldest living things on these islands.

It is not known exactly when the door was attached to the tree, other than some time after 1820; this was the date when villagers hollowed out the bole of the tree.

In the process of hollowing out the tree they discovered a cannonball, which may have inadvertently embedded itself in the tree after being fired by an errant cannon during the English Civil War. The farm opposite the church was a staunch Royalist position and as such may have been a target for Cromwell's troops.

The Crowhurst yew is one of the 50 Great British Trees that were selected by The Tree Council in 2002 to spotlight trees in Great Britain in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.