SITE 173 ROTHLEY PARISH CHURCH
OS REF:SK586126
Date 3rd September 2003
There are many Yews in the churchyard and some good Lime Trees, which will not be classed as 'Ancient' but will help to build up a picture of the Limes in Rothley. This is a good wildlife site for birds as it is not an isolated site but links up with the grounds of the Old Vicarage, Site 147, Priest's Meadow Site 146 and the grounds of The Grange Site 122, all containing Ancient Trees. It is therefore an important site in the village 'wildlife corridor' especially as the yews fruit very well and provides food for the birds in the autumn and winter, especially the thrush family.
We started by measuring the Limes and Yews in the area of the Saxon Cross, the yews being in need of maintenance as they are in danger of loosing their shape and crowding each other out. English Heritage came to look at the Saxon Cross in July this year and recommended that the surrounding trees be kept trimmed as the shade was detrimental to the Saxon Cross by causing erosion. Charnwood Borough Council was called in by the Churchwarden and they will be carrying out the trimming at a date yet unknown.
In the meantime, I looked into the possibility of using the yew trimmings for the manufacture of the anti-cancer drug Taxol but the firm doing this, Limehurst, only want the trimmings from yew hedges, not trees, as the clippings are young and fresh. However, it did make the Churchwarden aware of looking at the churchyard as a living site for its trees and wildlife. He is very interested in what we are doing by recording the trees and will provide any help or records to assist.
6th September 2003
We made a further visit to continue with our tree recording.
Date: January 2013
Six nestboxes were sited on trees around the churchyard.
Plan of the churchyard and trees.2006
Site 173 April 2003
Site 173 The Saxon Cross April 2003
Site 173 The Saxon Cross. We wanted to know if there were any markings on the top. Sadly, nothing. January 2004
Site 173 The Saxon Cross. January 2004
Site 173 Entrance from Church Street. 2003
Site 173 Detail on the entrance gates in Church Street. 2003
Looking back from the gates into Church Street. April 2003
Site 173 Trees from left to right 204,205,206 by the path leading to Hallfields Lane. April 2003
Site 173 The Hunt Headstone centre back is a Listed Monument. 2003
Site 173 Detail from the Hunt Headstone. 2003
For more information about the Hunt Headstone please click on the following link:
Site 173 A working diagram of the recorded trees in Rothley Churchyard. 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 204 with a girth of 3.14m. September 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 205 with a girth of 2.9m. September 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 206 with a girth of 2.7m September 2003
Site 173 Yew Tree 207. An important churchyard tree. September 2003
Site 173 Yew Tree 208 with a girth of 4.07m. September 2003
Site 173. Yew Tree 210 to the right with a girth of 2.2m. Yew Tree 213 to the left with a girth of 3.2m. April 2003
Site 173 Right to left Trees 208, 214 and 211. September 2003
Site 173 Yew Trees left to right. Tree 211 with a girth of 3.8m, Tree 214 with a girth of 3.3m and Tree 208 with a girth of 4.07m. September 2003
Site 173 Yew Tree 213 to the front with a girth of 3.2m and Yew Tree 212 to the rear that was showing regrowth having been cut down in the past. September 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 215 with a girth of 2.8m. April 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 216 with a girth of 3.2m. Looking to the Lytch Gate and School Street. April 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 219 with a girth of 2.6m September 2003
Site 173 Ancient Lime Tree 220 with a girth of 2.8m. April 2003
SITE 173 ROTHLEY PARISH CHURCH IN 2015
Approaching the church from the footpath from Hallfields Lane. February 2015
Ancient Lime Tree 216 from School Street Lytch Gate. January 2015
Looking left from School Street Lytch Gate. January 2015
Looking from the path to the Old Vicarage. January 2015
The Saxon Cross. January 2015
Looking from the footpath to Hallfields Lane. January 2015
Looking from the footpath to Hallfields Lane. January 2015
Entrance from Church Street to the left. January 2015
Trees 204, 205 and 206 looking to the footpath to Hallfields Lane. January 2015
For more photographs of the Saxon Cross please click on the following link:
For more information about Rothley Parish Church and links to its history, gravestones, the bells and more please click on the following link
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