A photo of the trunks

looks like a witch hazel of some sort? (Hamamelis)

I think it may be Lonicera fragrantissima, winter honeysuckle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lonicera fragrantissima

Yes, it's Lonicera fragrantissima.

thanks so much!
I thought that they might have been part of the honeysuckle family but thought they only grew on vines. You learn something new everyday!

I have never worked out the difference between L fragrantissima and L x purpusii 'Winter Beauty'. Can anyone enlighten me? From the OP's picture couldn't it be either?

I have not seen L. purpusii here. The following is a description from a website :
Lonicera ÃÂ purpusii 'Winter Beauty' is a rounded deciduous or sometimes semi-evergreen shrub with colourful red-purple young shoots and dark green leaves.

Lonicera fragrantissima is widely planted here. It has bluish leaves and no colorful young shoots as far as I can recall.
Dirr's book states it has " dull dark bluish green leaves in summer"/

Thanks, Carol23. I can't recall seeing the two different twig colours but L purpusii is widely planted so I'll just have to take a closer look next time I see a winter flowering honeysuckle. My own is L fragrantissima, I believe, but I'm not even sure of that ;-)