Yew trees are often planted in churchyards. Their red fruits can be symbolic of blood and their evergreen leaves remind us of perpetual life. A slow-growing plant, they last for many generations and become long-lasting members of the local community. Planted in 1792, a small copse of yews were planted in the graveyard in Painswick. It's said that no one is able to count the number of trees, and anyone who tries arrives at different numbers each time. A legend states that there are in fact ninety-nine and that the devil will kill any hundredth yew. Stories tell of several attempts to plant another one and it wilting within a few days. One local story tells of a chemist who would sneak out at night and pour poison on the new tree as a joke. According to collected lore, the area of Painswick has dozens of verified ghost stories. There have been many local legends about Painswick, maybe because of its name, including a children's tale about the people of Painswick eating puppy-dog pie.
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Fantastic Britain: Myths And LegendsWritten by Rowan Blair Colver Categories
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