The Great Yew of Ormiston

As has been said on Blip before, the Great Yew of Ormiston is one of the ancient yew trees in the United kingdom, reckoned to be at least 1000 years old. It stands close to the ruins on Ormiston Hall, accessed by a long walk through private tracks.

By the 'tree-hugging' method I estimated the girth (circumference) to be around 26 feet, this method giving only a guideline as the outline of the trunk is convoluted; even a bore to count growth rings would be an estimate as typically yew growth rings are uneven. However my calculation translates that the tree is well over 900 years.

 Four long poles have been provided to support the ageing branches, which have created a dome by layering, where branches grow downwards and take root, extending the canopy by subsequent growth.
It is rumoured that John Knox preached under the cover of the tree,  but who knows what clandestine activities have taken place over those hundreds of years.