Illustrated is the 1215 sealing of the Magna Carta - a document that ushered in the basic rights that underpin British democracy . It was the tree beneath which King John sealed the Magna Carta – the document that first ushered in the basic rights that underpin British democracy to this day. Now, exactly eight centuries after that historic event, experts have preserved the yew tree for eternity. Saplings grown from cuttings of the tree have been planted in a hedge in Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens, added to those of other historic yews as part of a conservation project. The Ankerwycke yew, which has a girth of 26ft and stands in a water meadow on the flood plain of the Thames, is now approximately 2,000 years old. Scientists at the gardens have created the hedge to preserve their genetic material amid fears that Britain’s historic trees are threatened by a variety of diseases. Famed for the signing of the document at Runnymede in 1215 – although the exact site is still disputed by historians – the Ankerwycke yew is also said to be the site of the first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. It is named after the manor of Ankerwycke, part of the estate of Richard de Montfichet, one of the 25 barons who were present as King John gave his seal to the Magna Carta. Martin Gardner, who leads the gardens scheme in Edinburgh, said: ‘We are losing ancient yews all the time, to climate change, development and vandalism. These are the most iconic trees in the world. We have to conserve every single one.’ The initiative comes as celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the signing of the document move to Parliament, with an exhibition of all four existing copies of the Charter opening there this week. The manuscripts, two held by the British Library and one each by Lincoln and Salisbury Cathedrals, laid the foundations of the rule of law. The Ankerwycke yew was named as one of Britain’s 50 great trees in 2002 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Cuttings in the hedge also come from a yew said to have featured in William Wordsworth’s 1803 poem Yew Trees, set in Yorkshire, and from the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire, reputed to be 4,000 years old. The Ankerwycke yew, under which the Magna Carter was sealed in 1215, will now be preserved forever .
King John sealed the Magna Carter under a yew tree in Runnymede in 1215 .
It is also the site of the first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn .
The Ankerwycke yew is to be preserved forever under a new initiative .
Saplings grown from its cuttings have been planted in hedge in Edinburgh .
Illustrated is the 1215 sealing of the Magna Carta - a document that ushered in the basic rights that underpin British democracy . It was the tree beneath which King John sealed the Magna Carta – the document that first ushered in the basic rights that underpin British democracy to this day. Now, exactly eight centuries after that historic event, experts have preserved the yew tree for eternity. Saplings grown from cuttings of the tree have been planted in a hedge in Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens, added to those of other historic yews as part of a conservation project. The Ankerwycke yew, which has a girth of 26ft and stands in a water meadow on the flood plain of the Thames, is now approximately 2,000 years old. Scientists at the gardens have created the hedge to preserve their genetic material amid fears that Britain’s historic trees are threatened by a variety of diseases. Famed for the signing of the document at Runnymede in 1215 – although the exact site is still disputed by historians – the Ankerwycke yew is also said to be the site of the first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. It is named after the manor of Ankerwycke, part of the estate of Richard de Montfichet, one of the 25 barons who were present as King John gave his seal to the Magna Carta. Martin Gardner, who leads the gardens scheme in Edinburgh, said: ‘We are losing ancient yews all the time, to climate change, development and vandalism. These are the most iconic trees in the world. We have to conserve every single one.’ The initiative comes as celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the signing of the document move to Parliament, with an exhibition of all four existing copies of the Charter opening there this week. The manuscripts, two held by the British Library and one each by Lincoln and Salisbury Cathedrals, laid the foundations of the rule of law. The Ankerwycke yew was named as one of Britain’s 50 great trees in 2002 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Cuttings in the hedge also come from a yew said to have featured in William Wordsworth’s 1803 poem Yew Trees, set in Yorkshire, and from the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire, reputed to be 4,000 years old. The Ankerwycke yew, under which the Magna Carter was sealed in 1215, will now be preserved forever .
beneath which King John sealed the Magna Carta – tree for eternity. Saplings grown from cuttings of the tree have been planted in a hedge in historians – the Ankerwycke yew is also said to be the site of the first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. It is named after the manor Ankerwycke yew, under which the Magna Carter was sealed in 1215, will now be preserved forever .