The gnarled, immutable yew tree is one of the most evocative sights in the British and Irish landscape, an evergreen impression of immortality. For hundreds of years it has marked holy places for travelers. In this book Robert Bevan-Jones paints a many-sided portrait of this extraordinary tree and the role it has played in history and culture. He begins by examining the yew's fascinating, poisonous biology, the origins of its name, and its distribution. He reviews the various attempts to date ancient yew trees, and concludes that many of them are certainly over a thousand years old; some of the oldest specimens many even be linked to the cells of early Celtic saints. Ancient yews survive today most typically in churchyards. They are also associated with abbeys, sprints and pre-Reformation wells, and serve as ancient markers in the wider landscape at hillfort and castle sites. Yew has an important place in woodland history, and provides the formal gardens of many great houses with hedges and topiary. Yew trees feature frequently in folklore tales, especially from Ireland, and are often invested with dark or magical associations. The prehistoric archaeological record is also rich in yew finds. With photographs and etchings of famous old yews, and a gazetteer of the oldest and largest yew trees in Britain, The Ancient Yew is a cultural flora or a single species: a tree which provides a living botanical link between our own landscapes and those of the distant past. Second edition is revised and updated.

The Ancient Yew

History

Bevan-Jones, Robert

Europe

Windgather Press

<p>Ancient yew trees, many of which may be over a thousand years old, are still common features in many areas of Britain, frequently found in churchyards and large formal gardens. The yew has an important place in the British landscape and cultural heritage and here Robert Bevan-Jones discusses its history, biology, the origins of its name, the yew berry and its toxicity, its distribution across Britain, means of dating examples, and their association with folklore, with churchyards, abbeys, springs, pre-Reformation wells and as landscape markers. Includes a gazetteer of examples. Foreword by David Bellamy.</p>

The Ancient Yew: A History of Taxus Baccata

Politics & Social Sciences

Archaeology

<p>The botanical history of Britain and North West Europe has a dark and a light side. Plants have been used as weapons to harm people, taken deliberately as addictive drugs and also employed as tools in witchcraft and used as magical amulets. Yet many of these same plants have been medicinally vital to numerous European communities; as the author notes, frequently the only difference between a benevolent medicine and a poison is dosage. In this book, which is richly illustrated with modern colour photographs and illustrations from herbals, Robert Bevan-Jones brings together a wealth of documentary and archaeo-botanical sources to discuss the cultural, social (and anti-social) role of the fifty most significant species of poisonous plants and fungi found in Britain, either as natives or as introductions. An introductory essay puts into context the development of British society's knowledge of toxic plants: the 'cultural botany' applied in Britain today has evolved over thousands of years, absorbing information from European texts and importing useful plants from Europe, such as the mandrake. The book's central A to Z section - from aconite to yew - then informs the reader about the history and uses of 43 species of poisonous plants, especially those that have a documented history of medicinal usage. Four important fungi species - death cap, liberty cap, fly agaric and ergot - also have separate essays. As well as the plants' histories and appearance, their chemical constituents receive coverage; these give them powerful and diverse properties, which demand our admiration and respect. The book aims to add to the knowledge offered by field identification guides, and help reduce the risk associated with accidental ingestion. Case histories are given in as much detail as possible and the information will hopefully help the reader understand the properties of plants they may encounter, either in an archaeological, botanical or horticultural context. Most of these plants can yet be found growing in woodlands, parks, botanical gardens, roadsides, waterways, churchyards and abbey sites. This is an essential book not only for botanists and historical ecologists, but also for anyone interested in the toxic plant traditions of Britain and Europe.</p>

Poisonous Plants: A Cultural and Social History

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Books by Bevan-Jones, Robert

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bevan-Jones, Robert. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Ancient Yew

The Ancient Yew

The Ancient Yew: A History of Taxus Baccata

Poisonous Plants: A Cultural and Social History