English: Specimen yew tree, Fritham Cross, New Forest This spreading yew tree stands in isolation on the hilltop plateau near Fritham Cross, just south of the A31 dual carriageway. Yew can be found in many of the older woods, occasionally in the inclosures and in some places out on the open heath (such as here). Yew is poisonous to ponies and cattle - toxins in the needles and seeds can cause sudden death (within hours) by affecting heart muscle function. However, the toxins do not affect deer and they browse on the tree during the winter - leaving nothing within easy reach of the commoners' ponies and cattle.