{"id":12835,"date":"2021-03-22T11:05:14","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T15:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.talkdeath.com\/?p=12835"},"modified":"2022-11-23T09:32:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T14:32:29","slug":"cemetery-graveyard-trees-folklore-supersitition-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talkdeath.com\/cemetery-graveyard-trees-folklore-supersitition-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Cemetery and Graveyard Trees: Folklore, Superstition and History"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although this past winter has felt like it was one of the longest seasons in history, spring 2021 is finally here.<\/p>\n

We’re still a few months out from crop-top weather, but we\u2019re indulging our springtime daydreams by examining the history of several trees species found in cemeteries throughout the world.<\/p>\n

You may notice that each tree referenced here is an evergreen, meaning that the tree doesn\u2019t shed leaves come autumn, and maintains its color throughout the year. These cemetery trees also share similar yet unique folklore and ties to human spirituality and superstition.<\/p>\n

Why are certain trees (specifically the yew, cypress, and Eastern red cedar) common to cemeteries and older graveyards?<\/p>\n

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Folklore, Superstition, and the History of Cemetery and Graveyard Trees<\/h2>\n

Yew Trees<\/h3>\n
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Estry Yew tree in Normandy, around 1,600 years old. (Wikipedia) PHOTO BY DAGOBERT<\/p><\/div>\n

The yew tree may be the most well-known and recognizable cemetery tree in Europe.<\/p>\n

Yew trees are known for their ability to thrive in almost any soil condition and can withstand harsh weather. These attributes are why many yew trees have lived for thousands of years. (Fun fact: Several yew experts<\/a> have aged a tree known as the \u201cDefynnog yew\u201d as more than 5,000 years old!)<\/p>\n

Yew Tree Folklore & Religious Connotations<\/h4>\n

Yew trees have a rich history that\u2019s rooted in Pagan and Christian storytelling.<\/p>\n

According to pagan lore, yew trees are sacred to Hecate, the Greek goddess of death, witchcraft, and necromancy. In myth, it\u2019s said that the yew purifies the dead as they arrive in Hades, also known as the underworld. Britain\u2019s Best Guides writer and Blue Badge Heart of England tour guide, Sean Callery,<\/a> adds that Celtic druids also used yew trees in their death rituals.<\/p>\n

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Image via Wikicommons<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Yew trees are the stars of many UK churchyard burial grounds. For example, two yew trees have grown into a wall featuring a side doorway at St Edward\u2019s Church in Stow-on-the-Wall!<\/p>\n

Seeing as Christian churchyards house many yews, it\u2019s not surprising that there is a symbolic connection to that faith. For example, a yew tree\u2019s heartwood<\/a> (the wood at the center of the tree) is a reddish, orange-brown, and its sapwood<\/a> (the outer, \u201cliving\u201d layer of the tree) is a pale yellowish-white hue. \u201cThese colours symbolise the blood and body of Christ,\u201d Callery writes. “As a hardy evergreen tree able to survive on infertile soil, the yew also suggested [to Christians] rebirth and resurrection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yew Tree Graveyard Protection & Funeral Lore<\/h4>\n
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Image via Ellie Burgin<\/p><\/div>\n

Yew needles and bark are poisonous<\/a> to most animals and people. And although the flesh of the tree\u2019s bright red berry is not toxic, the berry seed is poisonous.<\/p>\n

These parts of the tree contain taxine, an alkaloid poison. \u201cAccording to one study, a dose of 100 grams of chopped leaves could kill an adult,\u201d Callery writes. Possible poisoning served as a solid reason for people to keep their cattle out of graveyards, which helped preserve graveyard grounds.<\/p>\n

In addition to playing a prominent role in human spirituality, the yew tree has a history that\u2019s steeped in superstition.<\/p>\n

According to Royal Parks<\/a>, some people would carry yew branches at a loved one\u2019s funeral. Mourners would then tuck the yew sprig in the deceased\u2019s coffin. Some people thought the yew sprig would bring eternal life.
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