They require a well-drained soil but it can be sandy, average or light clay. Even though yews can tolerate clay soil, they are seldom planted in this situation since clay often is too wet. Yews need to be kept evenly moist. They aren't very drought tolerant. When they get in trouble, it is almost always due to soil that is too wet.
Yews are interesting plants for several reasons.
Not only have they been cultivated for thousands of years, they are among the oldest living trees. Yews are dioecious, meaning they have separate male and female plants. All parts of the plant including the bark, the leaves and the seeds, whether fresh or dried, are very poisonous to people and pets. Strangly enough, the flesh of the fruit is not poisonous, though the seed inside the flesh is. And even more frustrating, deer seem to enjoy nibbling on yew and seem to be unaffected.