I very recently discovered what is termed the oldest yew grove at Craigends, Houston in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is 600 years old, the layered crown covers over 30 metres across and the circumference of it's central "mother" yew is 8.3 metres.

It is sited on the River Gryffe at the rear of the houses at Yew Gardens and can be reached by the new walkway at the side of the first house in Gryffebank Avenue. Yew groves were sacred to the Druids and used as places of ritual in connection with prophesy, indeed, it is now believed that on a hot summer day the trees release a vapour that can have a mild hallucinogenic effect on the person(s) sitting within a grove. A useful place for a powerful nobles seer to meditate in!

For centuries, Craigends Estate was owned by the Cunningham family but some 30 or so years ago was sold for private housing and although only a few miles from Glasgow Airport the land surrounding it is Greenbelt. Houston is derived from Hu's town, named after the 11th century Hugo De Padvinan, Knight Templar who built his castle there- some say he was named after Hugh De Payens, leader of the Knights Templar, others that he was the same man!. He was a follower of Walter Fitzalan, High Steward of Scotland and progenitor of the Royal House of Stewart.

The villages of Houston, Kilbarchan and Kilmalcolm are in what is known as the golden triangle: they form an equilateral triangle whose apex is said to be at the River Gryffe at Houston, I suspect at the site of the yew grove. Kilbarchan (cell of Brechin) and Kilmacolm (cell of columba) are 6th century church sites, allegedly founded by Saints Brychan and Columba themselves.

The nearby town of Johnstone, with its octagonal, north-facing High Parish Church was created a couple of centuries ago and named after St. John, beloved of The Knights Templar and Freemasons. Johnstone shares almost the same latitude as Roslin (of Rosslyn Church fame) at the sacred numbers 55 50', Roslin is at 55 51.5', and the line between them is the Roseline. This is commemorated in various placenames such as Roslin in Bishopton , and the ruined site there of the Templar Roslin Castle which intriguingly is also known as Rostad Castle (Sator, Rotas an anagram sacred to the Knights Templar).

The grove is a short distance from the 16th century Houston Castle site and formed parts of its estates: at that time it was owned by the Earls of Lennox, whose descendant, Lord Darnley married Mary, Queen of Scots. Darnley is believed to have lived in Houston Castle for some years, an interesting thought, as his son became James I of a United Kingdom of the British Isles, ancestor to our Queen!

[Back to Index)]