BrianDerbyshire
St Mary's Churchyard, Painswick, Gloucestershire, uk
Painswick is a small village in the Cotswolds, an area of outstanding natural beauty, in Gloucestershire, UK. The church itself has its origins before the Norman conquest (1066). The churchyard is famous for its collection of Yew trees, said to number 99 (according to legend nobody has been able to grow a 100th tree - but secretly there are 103!). Yew trees were of great importance in medieval England being the source of wood used to make the fearsome longbow. The longbow was the major weapon of medieval England with a killing range of up to 400 yards and English bowmen were responsible for many major English victories using this awesome weapon. The reason why Yew trees were planted in churchyards is because the berries are highly poisonous and to protect free ranging cattle they were generally planted in church yards.
St Mary's Churchyard, Painswick, Gloucestershire, uk
Painswick is a small village in the Cotswolds, an area of outstanding natural beauty, in Gloucestershire, UK. The church itself has its origins before the Norman conquest (1066). The churchyard is famous for its collection of Yew trees, said to number 99 (according to legend nobody has been able to grow a 100th tree - but secretly there are 103!). Yew trees were of great importance in medieval England being the source of wood used to make the fearsome longbow. The longbow was the major weapon of medieval England with a killing range of up to 400 yards and English bowmen were responsible for many major English victories using this awesome weapon. The reason why Yew trees were planted in churchyards is because the berries are highly poisonous and to protect free ranging cattle they were generally planted in church yards.