Medieval, Trees, Ash

Ash

The Gout Tree....

Yggdrasil, the World Tree in Viking mythology, grew on an island surrounded by the ocean, in the depths of which the World Serpent lay. This ash tree’s trunk reached up to the heavens, and its boughs spread out over all the countries of the Earth. Its roots reached down into the Underworld. A squirrel ran up and down the tree carrying messages from the serpent gnawing at the roots to the eagle in the canopy, and back. A deer fed on the ash leaves and from its antlers flowed the great rivers of the world. A magical goat grazed by the tree, and its udders dispensed not milk but mead for the warriors in Odin's Great Hall.

Since ancient times, many people have believed that man was born from the branches and flesh of the Ash tree.
If the winged seeds of an Ash tree do not appear, it was seen as sign that the reigning monarch would die.
Isle of Man folklore suggests that the Ash protects spring water purity.
In Sussex and Hampshire, children would pocket ash twigs on Ash Wednesday, stamping on the feet of those who forgot
Women who placed an Ash leaf in their left shoe would immediately meet their future husband.
If a person found an ash leaf without searching for one, they could ensure good fortune by wearing it openly for all to see.

Trees Oak Elm Yew Ash Beech Native British Christmas Tree