Lethally poisonous, self regenerating, and with a potential lifespan of thousands of years – the yew has long been rightfully regarded with reverence and fear. Yew tree symbolism can tell us a lot about historical and spiritual perceptions of this ancient plant.
Native to Western, Central and Southern Europe, many cultures consider the yew to be sacred, representing the dualities of life and death. This post will explore some of these narratives and cultural interpretations to uncover the deeper meanings, historical significance, and heritage folklore of these trees.
Yew Tree Symbolism
Immortality
Yews are among the oldest living things in Europe. They have an average lifespan of 400 to 600 years but can live for thousands of years under the right conditions. The oldest yew tree in the world stands in a churchyard in Fortingall, Scotland, and is estimated to be over 5,000 years old.
These plants are remarkably hardy, and are resistant to many diseases that other trees succumb to. One characteristic contributing to the longevity of yew trees is their ability to produce new growth from old branches. When the heartwood rots, the tree creates new internal roots to capture the centuries-old minerals released by the decaying wood and recycle them within the healthy parts of the plant.
The ability of the yew to self-regenerate and live for hundreds (if not thousands) of years has led the plant to be associated with immortality and eternal life.
Death
Although yews are most commonly associated with immortality, they are sometimes regarded as a symbol of death.
These trees are a familiar sight across graveyards in Britain, and burying the dead with a sprig of yew was a popular practice in early Christian funerals. It is hypothesised that yews were kept or intentionally planted around burial sites to discourage livestock and other animals from grazing near graves, as all parts of the yew tree are highly poisonous.
The toxicity of yew is one of the reasons why these trees are regarded as a symbol of death. This negative perception of yew tree serves a purpose in discouraging people from getting too near to these plants and putting themselves at risk of poisoning.
Resurrection
The yew’s ability to regenerate dead growth became a symbol of the cycle of life and death in pagan Britain, and they were often ceremonially sowed on worship sites. It is speculated that pagan worshippers planted some of the ancient and veteran yews of Llanfeugan Church.
Christianity in Britain adopted a similar representation of yews, in which the trees signify the resurrection of Christ and the promise of afterlife.
Protection
As well as keeping grazing animals away from graveyards, it is also speculated that people planted yew trees over burial sites as they believed they would protect against evil spirits. The wood from yew trees was also used to create bow-staves; planting these trees in churchyards would help ensure that there was always wood nearby to use to create weaponry to protect the church and country (although the majority of wood used to craft bows came from Britain’s forests and imports from Ireland and Europe).
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Yew Tree Symbolism: Folklore
Ffridd yr Ywen – The Dancing Place of the Goblin
Never fall asleep under a yew tree. There’s a folktale from the forest in Llanwrin about an ancient yew with a faerie circle at its foot, known as the Dancing Place of the Goblin. The story follows the misadventures of two farm-hands – Tom (Twm) and Jack (Iago).
The pair had been working hard in the woods all day when a thick mist descended upon them, darkening the sky. Thinking it was nightfall, the two men decided it would be best if they made their way home.
As they walked, they happened across a clearing in the forest with a great yew tree in the middle. A mysterious light flooded the area.
Tom and Jack mistook the light for sunshine and decided they had time to rest beneath the tree before they resumed their journey. They both fell into a deep sleep beneath the yew.
When Tom awoke, he found himself alone; Jack was missing. He went on to search thoroughly for his friend in the forest and neighbouring towns, asking all the locals if they knew his whereabouts, but Jack was nowhere to be seen. Tom had nearly lost all hope until a wise man in the village advised him to revisit the yew tree a year later.
Tom heeded the manβs advice and returned to the woods the next year. Here, he found his friend entranced and dancing with the goblins & faeries. He quickly grabbed him and pulled him out of the circle.
Jack was completely unaware of how much time had passed since he entered the faerie realm. In many retellings of this story, he unfortunately turned to dust the moment he had his first bite of food.
