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Fortingall Yew

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Fortingall Yew. The yew in June 2011 The Fortingall Yew is an ancient European yew (Taxus baccata) in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland.

Fortingall Yew

Modern expert estimates have put its age at between 1,500 and 3,000 years. It may be the oldest tree in Britain. Age[edit] Modern expert estimates put the age of the tree at between 2,000 and 3,000 years, although it may be a remnant of a post-Roman Christian site and around 1,500 years old.[1] Others have suggested an age as great as 5,000 years,[2][3] although recent research into yew tree ages[4][5] suggests that it is likely to be nearer the lower limit of 2,000 years. Fortingall Yew Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland. Fortingall Yew. The Fortingall Yew is a heritage tree of international importance which is situated in the Highland Perthshire village of Fortingall, eight miles west of Aberfeldy.

Fortingall Yew

Fortingall Yew. The YewFortingall is a small village in the heart of Perthshire, at the entrance to Glen Lyon, not far from Loch Tay.

Fortingall Yew

The yew tree which grows there has been estimated to be at least 3,000 years old and possibly as old as 5,000 years. It is certainly the oldest living organism in Britain and possibly the world. It's girth at one stage was over 56 feet when measured in 1769. In the last few hundred years, as its fame grew, souvenir hunters began to take large sections of the tree and eventually a wall had to be built round it to protect it. Some of its branches only survive because they are propped up. Forestry Commission Scotland - Heritage Trees of Scotland - The Fortingall Yew.

The Woodland Trust. In a small village in deepest Perthshire grows a Yew tree revered as being the oldest living in Britain.

The Woodland Trust

The Fortingall Yew has been estimated to be at least 3000 years old and, perhaps, as old as 5000. It maybe that celebrity has taken its toll on this ancient beauty but, happily, it seems now to be well looked after. Having been famous for a long time, many visitors have felt the need to take a little bit of it home as a souvenir. Consequently, a low wall has been built around it to offer a little protection. It may also have heaved a sigh of relief as props were erected to take the strain of some of its branches. Fortingall Yew. Information.

Fortingall Yew

The Fortingall Yew, Fortingall. Who'd have thought Europe's oldest living thing is biding its time in a Perthshire churchyard?

The Fortingall Yew, Fortingall

Driving along a back road in the middle of nowhere the brown (i.e. tourist) signs to Fortingall Yew were so intriguing I had to have a look. They direct you towards a church and as you enter the gates of the churchyard words are written out on the path. "Up ahead stands Fortingall's oldest resident, a 5000 year old yew tree", "Imagine those who have passed this way before". Fortingall Yew: Places to visit in Perthshire. The Fortingall Yew is between 2,000 and 5,000 years old.

Fortingall Yew: Places to visit in Perthshire

Either way, this still makes it the oldest tree in Europe. Places to stay near here Introduction. Fortingall Yew Tree - Perthshire Travelguide. The celebrated Fortingall Yew Tree is without doubt the most ancient specimen of vegetation to be found in Europe and has stood in the village for many centuries; how many nobody really knows exactly, but from observations made by eminent botanists and other knowledgeable persons, it seems certain that it is at least 3000 years old.

Fortingall Yew Tree - Perthshire Travelguide

In 1769 Thomas Pennant when on a visit to Colonel Campbell of Glenlyon, measured this historic tree and found it to be 56.5 feet (17.5 m) in circumference. Some years later other well known botanist of the time visited the tree equally impressed by its size. In 1852 the main trunks had fallen away, no doubt due to the fact that for the last 200 years it had been subjected to vandalism by the local populus who lit their Beltane between the separated parts, and from souvenir hunters who cut and removed pieces from the famous Yew Tree. Loading Image... Fortingall Yew. The Fortingall Yew (Taxus baccata) has been guesstimated at anything between 3000 and 9000 years old and can be found in the corner of the churchyard of Fortingall village kirk.

Fortingall Yew

A footpath through the churchyard to the yew carries a series of inscriptions that help set the years in perspective. The yew is steeped in history and folklore, prior to the introduction of Christianity; they were regarded as the ‘tree of eternity’. Often long-lived, they have a habit of starting to grow again as they reach their 500th year! In 1769, a Thomas Pennant visited Fortingall reported that the trunk of the tree measured 56½ft (17.5m) in diameter, though he also reported that it had been damaged by bonfires lit to celebrate the festival of Beltane. In 1833 another visitor noted that large parts of the trunk had been cut away, much of it to make souvenir ‘quaiches’ or celebration cups. Picture copyright Snaik and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. Fortingall Yew, Highland Perthshire - InsiderScotland : InsiderScotland. Fortingall Yew tree. Search this site The World Grid, Earth Energies and Geomantic Sites of Power The spiritual role of the sacred isles of Britain in World history Schiehallion - Mount Zion in the far north E-zine archive Monarch of antiquity The sacred yew in Fortingall, central Scotland, reputedly the oldest tree in Europe by Barry Dunford The Fortingall Yew tree © Copyright Barry Dunford Located close to the geographical centre of Celtic Scotland is to be found a remarkable yew tree which is currently believed to be around 5,000 years of age, thus dating its origins to about 3,000 B.C.

Fortingall Yew tree

YEW Taxus. This chapter has been extracted from The Living Wisdom of Trees by Fred Hageneder, pages 198-205, text © 2005, published by Duncan Baird Publishers, London The photographs are for one time use on www.ancient-yew.org The copyright of the photographs remains the property of Duncan Baird Publishers and Edward Parker and therefore the photograph must not be used on any other occasion without prior permission from DBP. No electronic storage rights granted whatsoever. The Living Wisdom of Trees by Fred Hageneder © Edward Parker / Duncan Baird Publishers, London. YEW Taxus A small genus of eight species of evergreen trees, Taxus is distributed throughout the northern temperate region and as far south as Central America and Sumatra. Pontius Pilate.

Pontius Pilate (/ˌpɒn(t)ʃəs ˈpaɪlət/ or /ˌpɒnti.əs ˈpaɪlət/,[1][2][3] Latin Pontius Pilatus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, Pontios Pīlātos) was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36.[4][5] As prefect, he served under Emperor Tiberius. He is best known as the judge at the trial of Jesus and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus. The sources for Pilate's life are an inscription known as the Pilate Stone, which confirms his historicity and establishes his title as prefect; a brief mention by Tacitus; Philo of Alexandria; Josephus; the four canonical gospels; the Gospel of Nicodemus; the Gospel of Marcion; and other apocryphal works.

Based on these sources, it appears that Pilate was an equestrian of the Pontii family, and succeeded Valerius Gratus as prefect of Judaea in AD 26. Once in his post he offended the religious sensibilities of his subjects, leading to harsh criticism from Philo and Josephus. Historicity of Pilate[edit] Titles and duties[edit] Pontius Pilate: Biography on Undiscovered Scotland. Was Pontius Pilate a Scot? From out of remote Glen Lyon, the longest glen in Scotland, has come an intriguing oral tradition that Pontius Pilate was born in the hamlet of Fortingall, which lies at the entrance to this dramatic and picturesque highland glen.

This ancient tradition also claims that Pontius Pilate was related to the Scots King, Metallanus, whose royal seat was located on a hill fort called Dun Geal (the White Fort) at Fortingall. According to the ancient Scots Chronicles, Metallanus was on good terms with the government of Caesar in Rome. Local tradition records a Roman camp at Fortingall and perhaps a clue as to its presence there may be found in the Latinised name of the Scots King, Metallanus. For it is known that the mining of metal ores, such as iron, took place in this area in past times and no doubt the Romans would have been particularly interested in accessing these metals. In nearby Glen Lyon is to be found an old bridge which traditionally has been known as the Roman Bridge.