VILLAGERS on Exmoor were this week building an Easter Garden around an ancient yew tree in their parish churchyard.

Wootton Courtenay resident Ingrid Popplewell was overseeing the construction and appealing for people to take along a cheerful, small flowering plant in a ‘fairly discreet pot’ to tuck into the ivy under yew tree.

The yew tree in the churchyard of All Saints’ Church is about 700 years old and one of the oldest in the county.

Traditionally, villagers make the garden on Maundy Thursday, which this year is March 28.

The garden will be blessed on Easter Day (March 31) at 11 am and residents can take a stone or pebble to represent a personal hope, which will be placed around the Easter Garden, and people can paint or write on them or leave them plain.

A short service will be held around the yew tree when parishioners will be reminded of the Easter story and offer their hopes for the future, with coffee and cake served in the churchyard, following which the celebrations will continue with Holy Communion in the church.

Retired Church of England Bishop Brian Castle, who lives in the village, said: “The last year has been difficult and unsettling for our world and there is more turbulence to come.

“Some of us may have been facing struggles and hard times of our own.

“Easter’s focus is on hope, new life, and new possibilities.

“Easter shows that negativity and darkness do not have the last say.

“Easter Day and the Easter Garden help turn our hearts and minds to new beginnings.”

Mr Castle said Easter Gardens traditionally told the story of Jesus Christ stomping over death on the first Easter Day, and building the garden around the yew was symbolic because the tree was planted to mark the end of a turbulent time in world history, the Black Death in the 14th century, which wiped out more than a third of the population of Europe.

He said: “Easter is celebrated around the world.

“Let us make Easter in Wootton Courtenay our statement of hope and new life.”