The Ankerwycke Yew is an ancient tree on the north bank of the Thames opposite Runnymede, growing among the ruins of a 12th-century Benedictine priory. The trunk is enormous and gnarled — its girth is about 8 metres — and it has been a living landmark for at least two millennia. It is reached on foot from the Ankerwycke car park near Wraysbury, a 20-minute drive from Windsor.
Ancient yews are difficult to date accurately because their hearts rot out as they age, but the Ankerwycke is widely accepted as among the oldest. It is one of those quiet things you can stand under and think about how much history one tree has watched.