On 22 Apr 2007, Eggs Zachtly wrote in
alt.home.lawn.garden:

Yew's don't take to hard pruning, dood. All their leaves are on
the outside, unlike a boxwood. I'm in the process of removing
almost all of the yews around my house for that reason. Lose a
branch and it may be 20 years before it's completely filled back
in. When they become that size, in an inappropriate area, and you
either have to live with as they are, or remove them.

That was eggzactly the answer I was afraid of. I did notice that the
needles grow only on the ends of the branches, forming a shell. I guess
I'll need to tear it out. Too bad - it's well-shaped and healthy, just
twice as big as it should be.

What would you consider replacing it with? I'm in eastern
Massachusetts?