The Ankerwycke Yew and the nunnery ruins

London · United Kingdom · Ruin · Scare 3/5

Under this 2,500-year-old tree Henry VIII is said to have proposed to Anne Boleyn. Nine years later he had her beheaded.

On the north bank of the Thames opposite Runnymede stands a yew whose hollow, twisted trunk is estimated at up to 2,500 years old — probably the oldest living tree in England. Beside it lie the remains of St Mary's Priory, a Benedictine nunnery founded in the 1160s and dissolved by Henry VIII. Tradition holds that it was beneath this very tree that the king secretly courted Anne Boleyn, and that he proposed to her among its roots. Nine years after the wedding he had her executed on Tower Green. Some also claim Magna Carta was sealed here rather than on the meadow across the water. The site is remote and silent: a few wall stumps in the grass, a soundless river, and a tree that stood here long before any of it.

FAQ

How scary is The Ankerwycke Yew and the nunnery ruins?

The Ankerwycke Yew and the nunnery ruins has a scare factor of 3/5 according to Haunted Places’ verified ratings.

Where is The Ankerwycke Yew and the nunnery ruins located?

The Ankerwycke Yew and the nunnery ruins is in London, United Kingdom.