Fortingall Yew

Overview

At the geographical heart of Scotland stands the oldest living thing in Europe.

The Fortingall yew stands in Fortingall Churchyard and is reliably known to be over 3000 years old and possibly even up to 9000 years old. This was an old tree when Christ was crucified and already an ancient giant when our recorded history began. In the Middle Ages fires were lit at its roots during the annual Beltane rites (May Day). In 1769 the circumference of the multiple trunks was measured at 56.5 feet, but the last 200 years have seen the death of some of the limbs and the remains of the tree are now heavily supported and protected. What you see today are the relics and offspring of the original tree. Despite the ravages of time the Fortingall yew also has the distinction of being the largest yew in Europe, with a stately girth of 17 metres.</p>
Visitors to the old yew tree can also visit the nearby Fortingall Church and stroll down the main street of this charming conservation village. The thatched cottages are said to be an imitation of those in Selworthy in Devon.</p>
Look out for the single, time worn cairn in the field opposite the village, known as Cairn of the Dead. During the 16th century Scotland was not spared the Galar Mhor (Great Plague) and the parish suffered heavy losses. So many people died that they could not be accommodated in the churchyard and, legend has it that, an old woman, still sufficiently healthy, carried the victims on a horse-drawn sledge to a mass grave in the field and raised a cairn to mark the resting place.</p>