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Apologies to moss, and others who already know it, but the online version of Maud Grieve's <b>A Modern Herbal</b> is a great source of interest and information (I mention it because we sometimes discuss herbs/dyes on threads here). The entry for elder is fascinating (especially the historical references) and can be found at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/e/elder-04.html

Its an interesting website with lots of information on the elder. Geoffrey Grigson - Englishman's Flora which I have, says that the elder in neither tree nor shrub and that led to its more wicked attributes, such as the Judas tree. In the Golden Legend book in the middle ages it was a tree of death because men were put to death on it, in this case the smell of the corpses round the tree/smell of the flowers when they go past their best... he also says it is an elder spirit or elder mother who is her own tree and protects it at the same time., so it seems to straddle both prehistory and later religious history. Glad you found a photo, did take some but did'nt know how to send them to the website..