Ancient Yews and Calaminarian Grasslands

 The early morning rain had ceased as we drove towards St Cuthbert’s Church, Beltingham.  This Northumbrian church is of historical importance, but the reason for our visit was primarily to view the Ancient Yews in the grounds.  There are three Yews of considerable age and it was the Yew on the north side of the church that most drew our attention, an estimate of age most often given as 900-950 years, with other mind-boggling estimates of around 1,500 years and even 2,000+ years.  Even if the lower estimate is nearer the truth, this would make the Yew the oldest in Northumberland.  The younger Yews south of the church, whilst magnificent specimens in themselves, are thought to be about 500 – 600 years old.  I understand that in the recent past there were plans to examine scientifically all three Yews to attempt to prove or disprove a relationship between the three.

Ancient Yew and a not so ancient Sam.

We entered the grounds via the Lych-Gate after having noted numbers of Swifts and listening to the song of Song Thrush.  Lych stemming from the Old English or Saxon word lic, meaning corpse.  Prior to mortuaries existing and when most people died at home, the body would be taken to the Lych-gate and would be guarded by vigil watchers so that body snatchers were unable to approach and interfere before burial.  In more recent times the funeral possession would await at the lych-gate until the arrival of the priest.  We made for the most ancient of the Yews, passing on the way a Commonwealth War Grave and several sandstone tombstones which had been heavily eroded over many years.

Weathered Sandstone Grave

Ancient Yew

The ancient and hollow Yew is most impressive.   Yews contain poisons of course which  can be hallucinogenic and I warned Sam that I had read in Fred Hageneder’s book Yew A History that people have reported funny things happening as they stood under a Yew.  I breathed in heavily, but on this occasion nothing occurred.  We did think and discuss our thoughts about our place in time and what the surrounding area of Northumberland may have looked like when this tree was a mere sapling.  The tree is supported by at least three iron collars, and Hageneder expressed mixed feelings about the use of these implements.  Having taken in the atmosphere of the Yews we looked around the church grounds and checked out plants such as the area of Bluebells, a Flowering Currant, Wild Garlic, Marsh Marigold and Green Alkanet.  Sadly, the church remains locked and so a future visit is planned for further exploration.

Ancient Yew

Remains of Celtic Cross

Flowering Currant

We kept to our plan and next visited 2 areas along the South Tyne that include Calaminarian Grassland.  At our first stop we checked out plants along the roadside and then through woodland along the bank of the river before looking at the small area of the grassland which was our primary target.  The dull rather subdued lighting conditions seemed to increase the intensity of the botanical colour, and the air was filled with the honey like scent of Crosswort and other accompanying plants.   The song of Blackcap was especially noted and many more Swifts were counted.  The land was sodden following weeks of May showers, but the atmosphere was that of a spring day post rain, and we had the area to ourselves apart from meeting a local villager walking her patch.  Examination of the verges and woodland meant that the walk was taken at a slow pace.

Crosswort

Bluebells

Green Longhorn Moth

A male Orange Tip Butterfly seemed almost intoxicated whilst feeding on Forget-me-not and so allowed a photographic opportunity as did a rather stunning Green Longhorn Moth found on the information signage.  A Common Sandpiper was heard calling by the river.

Orange Tip Butterfly on Forgetmenot

I must confess that Calaminarian Grassland is something I had no knowledge of until Sam mentioned it recently and I have since read quite a lot about this unusual and rare habitat and have learnt much about it.  Calaminarian grassland is named after Viola calaminaria which grows on such metal rich soils in Europe although the plant is not found in the UK.  However about 30 percent of this European grassland is found here.  This type of grassland in Northumberland has developed on nutrient poor soils with high levels of toxic heavy metals associated with mine workings and where metals from mine wash have accumulated on river beaches and terraces.

Mountain Pansy

Although the vegetation is usually sparse in these areas there are specialist plants that have adapted and thrive here.  Plants we found in the two area we visited included Mountain Pansy, Thrift (thought to be a type adapted to the metals), Alpine Pennycress and Pyrenean Scurvy- grass all able to tolerate the conditions and are known as metallophytes.  Now that mining in the area has ceased the habitat is very much at risk and is shrinking due to leaching of the metals and changes in land use.  Some of the areas are now managed and often rely on grazing by rabbits and sheep to prevent scrub taking over.

Alpine Pennycress

Pyrenean Scurvygrass

Some years ago I visited the Keen of Hamar which is a calaminarian grass land on the Island of Unst, Shetland, which was a very stony area.  I didn't relise its significance at the time,  although I enjoyed its variety of plant life.  In the case of Keen of Hammer it is an area containing serpentine rock containing heavy metals so is not caused in the same manner as the Northumberland grassland.  I remember seeing a rare plant called Edmonston's Chickweed here, which I believe grows only on the island.  This was named after a local Scottish botanist, Thomas Edmonston of Unst, who was said to have great knowledge.  Sadly he died in his early twenties having mistakenly discharged a gun during a field expedition, and cutting short what could have been a great career.  Note to self...read more about him.

Having examined the areas we decided to revisit at a latter date as there are other plants that we wish to find but our day was not over yet as we called in on my brother for a coffee and a chat before visiting Grindon Lough and surrounding area.

Scots Pine

Red Campion

By now bright light lit the wild countryside and a Skylark was in full song and ascending as I stepped out of the car at the Lough.  After so much rain this month I was surprised to see the water level of the Lough so low.  The most interesting bird finds here were calling Dunlin and Little Ringed Plover.

We also stopped at the old, renovated Lime Kiln to take some landscape images.  We found another interesting area for plants and have noted this for a later visit.  Water Avens grew nicely near the road and young Jackdaws called from a nest in the Lime Kiln wall.  We noticed the adult bird anxious to return to the hungry chicks so we did not hang around too long.  As soon as we were back in the car the adult Jackdaw came to the nest.  A Kestrel was seen close by in the trees.

Water Avens

We drove home along on what was a wonderful spring evening, clear light showing the area at its best and with the distant verdant fields occasionally broken by the brilliant yellow of Oil Seed Rape and the roadside also yellow with the flowering Gorse.

Evening Light

On arrival home we realised we had been out for nine and a half hours on what had been a most interesting and informative trip taken at a leisurely pace in great habitat.