Edwin and Mona Radford’s 1948 ‘Encyclopedia of Superstitions’ also makes mention of the Witch Elder tree.
Their version states that the Elder is held to be the same witch who petrified the King and his army, and that at each year at midsummer, prior to the ceremonial cutting (and bleeding) of the Witch Elder a feast was held next to the stone, which would later indicate it’s approval with a nod.