Ankerwycke Yew stroll

I made a short walk to view the the Ankerwycke Yew, an historic tree, near the banks of the River Thames (round trip about 1 mile). It is less well known than Runnymede, on the opposite bank, where the signing of the Magna Carta is celebrated, and being more isolated, is less visited. The Yew, priory ruins and surrounding parkland are in the care of the National Trust as part of their Runnymede estate.

There is a small free car park next to the farm. A pleasant walk across the parkland, then down an avenue of beech trees, leads to the Yew Tree viewing area with information boards. There is talk of limiting access to the tree itself, although there were no barriers when I visited. Only from close up does the size of the trunk become apparent.

The Ankerwycke Yew

Legend has it that the tree is "thousands of years old". It cannot be dated by tree ring analysis because like many yew trees its inside hollowed out naturally as it grew. A recent (1990s) radio carbon analysis of an offshoot suggested it could be about 900 years old, although that does not preclude other parts of the tree being older.

The yew tree is adjacent to the ruins of the priory of St Mary Magdalene, founded c1160. It was then on an island and hosted an ankeress or two. It was closed at the dissolution in 1536, and the lands were given to Sir Thomas Smith, who is credited with founding the first Grammar Schools, and who built a substantial mansion on the site.

The Tudor building was replaced by a Georgian mansion, and the surrounding pasture was landscaped into parkland. This mansion was in turn eventually demolished in 1990, and the estate farm is all that remains.

After viewing the remains of the priory (essentially a fragment of wall) you can return on a path close to the river to make a circuit.

Photos

Overcast winter morning