120. Darley Dale Yew

A famous yew on the edge of the Peak District must be Derbyshire’s finest.

One of the very fattest yews in England sits squarely by the porch of St Helen’s in Darley Dale. It is a tremendous tree, and a sign attached to its enclosing fence claims it could be 2,000 years old. Unlike some other very old yews, such as the Llangernyw Yew, this tree has not yet split into multiple parts or even developed a visible hollow, suggesting it has several millennia to go. 

Species details

Yew
Taxus baccata

Where to find it

St Helen’s Church, Church Road, Darley Dale DE4 2GG
///spectacle.directors.crawler | 53.16323, -1.602369

Other yews

76. Silken Thomas Yew

38. Llangernyw Yew

31. Bungalow Tree

Ancient yew notes

If yews are your thing, or indeed if trees are your thing, you may find the Ancient Yew Group’s website and database of very old yew trees in the UK (plus a few in northern France) of great interest.

Additional London tree walk date

Just released: another date for the popular Highgate urban tree walk I led at the end of August. Fingers crossed for fine autumn colours on the 13th October.

De Beauvoir Gardeners Show tomorrow

Come along to the Kingsgate Estate Community Hall tomorrow afternoon for what promises to be a great fun, and very English afternoon of tea and cake, produce and flowers. I’ll be running a stall where you can buy signed copies of my books. Hope to see you there!