Crookston Castle - a fun read

 I came across a book that describe the Crookston Castle and its famous Yew Tree in Scotland.

Here are some excerpts from the book:

"Hard by the castle is to be seen that noble monument, the Yew-tree, called the tree of Crockstoun, of so large a trunk, and well spread in its branches, that 'tis seen at several miles' distance from the ground where it stans." From another source we learned this famous tree measured ten feet in circumference at the height of seven feet from the ground, and that — note the pathos of the mark of exclamation — it "ceased to bud on the last day of the last century, when the House of Stewart was verging fast to its fall!" (p 52)

But the most interesting memento of the Crookston yew is still to be seen in Pollok House. It is in the form of a complete model of the castle, made from small square blocks of the yew wood. Every stone in the ruin is represented with astonishing minuteness and fidelity, so that one does

not marvel to learn that the model took its builder four years to construct. (p 53)

The Story of Bothwell Castle, Tillietudlem, Crookston, and Other Castles (published 1900; Glasglow)

Link for book in Internet Archive