Yew Tree (Doveridge)

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Locality
Coordinate 52.904197, -1.831777
Adm. div. Derbyshire
Vicinity Churchyard, St Cuthbert's Church, Doveridge
Type Natural feature
Interest Local tradition
Status Extant
First Record 2009
A.k.a. Doveridge Yew; Church Yew Tree
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Yew Tree (Doveridge).
'1400 year old ancient yew tree at Doveridge, Robin Hood' – Take the text with a grain of salt and enjoy the video.

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2020-10-24. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-02-13. Information courtesy Tim Prevett. Tim produces, and is a consultant on, slow TV.

According to a local tradition inspired by the ballad of Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor and Marriage, Robin Hood and Maid Marian were betrothed under the ample branches of an old, large and still living yew tree in the churchyard in Doveridge.

This famous tree, now supported by props and chains, is widely believed to be at least a thousand years old, but since its heartwood has seriously decayed, it is difficult to determine its age.[1] While there may well be earlier records of this, the earliest source known to IRHB to connect the yew with Robin Hood is a pamphlet on the history of the church of St Cuthbert and its churchyard published in 1986.[2] In Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor and Marriage, the wedding of Robin Hood and Maid Marian takes place at or near Tutbury soon after the two meet, the parson of Doveridge. being then sent for to perform the rites. While no doubt inspired by it, the notion of the pair being betrothed at Doveridge is therefore not entirely in keeping with the ballad.

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