Magentus' trip to see 4000 year old Yew, Salisbury Clock and Magna Carter

[magentus]

I found out from a book I am reading that in nearby Wiltshire, in the sleepy village of Tisbury, is one of the oldest trees in the world. It is a Yew tree in the grounds of St Johns church (800 years old) and is reputed to be around 4000 years old.

The Yew is a sacred tree here in England and there are many to be found in churchyards that have been built on top of pre christian sites.


This one is enormous - The trunk has become hollow and unstable so it now has a concrete support;


Here is a pic of the trunk with my Monwoody for scale;


Considering the mind blowing age of this tree, there is barely a mention anywhere in the village. The church notes it in a guide book, but that's it.

This tree is as old as Stonehenge and the pyramids.

As we were close to Salisbury we drove in to the centre and visited the cathedral where we found this;


And the magna carta!

For those who don't know, the Magna Carta is an historical document signed under duress by king John in 1215. Magna Carta (Latin for "the Great Charter"), is a charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebel barons, it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown, to be implemented through a council of 25 barons.

It influenced the American Constitution, but unfortunately all but 4 of the original 63 laws have been repealed.

[SAK Guy]

Wow!!! Amazing!!!!!!! TY Mags!!!!

[kirk13]

Great pics Mags. Yet another fascinating bit of rural England

[captain spaulding]

Great pics Mags. Yet another fascinating bit of rural England

+1. Extremely cool!

[magentus]

Cheers all 

I forgot to add this pic of the Magna Carta


It is written on sheepskin and the reason the writing is small and crammed in is that vellum was so expensive. Of the 13 original copies made in 1215, only 4 still survive: 1 in Salisbury Cathedral, 2 in the British Library and 1 in Lincoln Castle.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

What a great thread thank mate

[ColoSwiss]

Looks like an interesting trip.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's not very practical- I'm certain that sheepskin is likely to jam the document feeder on my printer/scanner/copier.  No wonder there were so few copies made.   

That is an awesome old tree!

Def

[ducttapetech]

Sweet! Nice pics too. Thanks for sharing.

Nate
That's us mobile

[ColoSwiss]

That's not very practical- I'm certain that sheepskin is likely to jam the document feeder on my printer/scanner/copier.  No wonder there were so few copies made.   

That is an awesome old tree!

Def

Idiot!     You're supposed to use pigskin in your copier.   

[Reinier]

Magna Carter... are we talking about Jay Z?

Seriously, nice trip & nice pics magentus!

[SAK Guy]

Magna Carter... are we talking about Jay Z?

Seriously, nice trip & nice pics magentus!

Well, his Comador cigars go for a kingly sum anyway.....

http://www.coronacigar.com/product/Cigars/Cigar-Singles/Cohiba-Comador-Double-Corona-Single-Cigar-CHC01DC/

[Don Pablo]

Sounds like a lovely day.
I think we keep forgetting how petty we act as a race in comparison to the bigger things out there, like galaxies, supernovas, 4000 year old trees, etc

[Syncop8r]

Yew don't say...

Cool thread. Did you go to Old Sarum nearby?

[magentus]

Yew don't say...

Cool thread. Did you go to Old Sarum nearby?

Not this time - been before and will go again. There is so much to see in this tiny tiny country I'm like a kid in a sweetshop.

[Lynn LeFey]

I'm not sure which of those three items are cooler. But all are VERY cool, for very different reasons.