Living History: The Starcross Yew Trees.

The topiaried Yew Trees of Starcross are all gone. Some were in the grounds of the Royal Western Counties Hospital. The hospital was demolished in 1986.

The most well known Yew trees were the row along The Strand. They were all a uniform size; around 20 foot high. Their trunks were bare up to head height, and their tops were shaped into cones.

Starcross History Society is working with the Starcross Action for Trees SAFT group to reincarnate 2 or 3 of these conical Yew trees which were along The Strand. The Yew trees can't be planted in their original sites, because they would obstruct the views from the cottages in The Strand, but a site has been identified  further along The Strand; on land which belongs to Teignbridge.

English Yew trees are slow growing and not readily available, but The Woodland Trust will allow the Starcross Action for Trees group to reserve the Yew trees when some become available. 

When the Yew trees eventually arrive in Starcross, they will be looked after and grown on at Easter Hill Nursery, by Jane and Paul Guppy. Local arborist Steve Swift   will be on hand when the time comes to plant them in their permanent sites, and to encourage them to grow into  the iconic cone shape. Here's a picture from Steve's website.