Axminster Church, Devon (1859)

Pulman, George P.R. The book of the Axe; containing a piscatorial description of that stream and historical sketches of all the parishes and remarkable places upon its banks, …(etc.). London: Longman and Co.; Crewkerne and Axminster: Pulman's Weekly News and Advertiser, 1875. Chapter IX. p. 655.The church, almost as a matter of course, is by far the most ancient and interesting building in the parish. Situated as it is in the large open space in the centre of the town, as already described, and surrounded with lime trees*, the building presents a striking appearance on its northern side. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to John the Baptist, […]. It measures one hundred and twelve feet long by forty- nine feet broad at the western end, and forty-seven at the eastern end.* The older trees were planted about the year 1760, and the others at different times as vacancies from decay or otherwise occurred. The yew tree on the north-western side of the churchyard is one of the largest, oldest, and most beautiful in this part of the country. The reason why the yew is so universal in churchyards is most probably to be found in the circumstance of its solemn and funereal character-like the cypress in eastern countries. But some writers say that it is on account of the protection which its massive and perennial foliage affords to the building, and others that it was anciently regarded as the common source whence the parishioners derived the material for their bows, in the use of which the yewmen (hence the word Yeomen ) were so expert both in war and in the chase. The younger yew, on the south side of the churchyard, was planted in 1792, as appears from the following items in the parish accounts:-"Paid for a yew tree, and carriage from Blandford, 10s 6d. For planting and liquor, 3s 6d."[Text may be taken from a different source or edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Steel l.engr vign

66x91mm

Rock & Co. ; no. 3972. 14 Mar 1859