Each month we turn our focus upon a different county, highlighting some key ancient tree sites and identifying some other places of general interest for tree-lovers. Other than Woodland Trust properties, admission or parking charges apply for many sites, and as access may be prohibited or limited to certain dates or times, it’s always advisable to check with the site owner or with the local Tourist Information Office before making a visit.

This month we turn our attention to a quintessential English county, which has a history dating back some 4,000 years – Cheshire. Set in the shadow of the Pennines and on the edge of the Peak District National Park, its countryside gives an impression of peace and lasting beauty. You simply can’t fail to admire the views created by the peaks and plains, for which this county is so well-known. Wooded hillsides complement far-reaching landscapes, stretching away toward the wildlife-rich Dee estuary and incorporating splendid historic buildings, picturesque villages, country gardens, farmland, lowland heath, canals and rivers.

The county town is of course Chester, probably best known for its Roman walls and amphitheatre, which is the largest stone-built arena in the UK. Don’t miss the exhibitions at the Visitor Centre, not to mention the views across the amphitheatre from its top-floor gallery. The cathedral is also well worth a visit, and numerous other buildings here are of historical interest. The historians amongst you may also find Macclesfield of particular interest. Following the Industrial Revolution this town was considered England’s centre for silk weaving. Its museum and heritage centre provides a fascinating insight into those times and into its links with the USA. Similarly, memorabilia from General George Patten’s stay during Word War II can be found in both Lower Peover and Knutsford. Elsewhere, interesting attractions include Quarry Bank cotton mill, Marton’s 14th century church, the restored jacquard handlooms at Paradise Mill again in Macclesfield and Europe’s largest collection of combustion engines at Anson Museum.

There are numerous, quite splendid stately homes to visit too. In Bramall Hall you’ll find a fine example of a medieval black and white timber-framed manor house. Tatton Hall – venue for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Flower Show – is a must, and not just for the horticulturalists. No doubt they’ll also relish the gardens at 16th century Peover Hall, at Eaton Hall, at 17th century Crewe Hall and at Arley Hall, a medieval estate with 19th century borders and walled gardens.

Literary enthusiasts will delight in Cheshire too. Knutsford was the setting for Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford, and the town trail here takes in many of the places that she knew and loved. Charles Tunnicliffe was born in the county, and his natural history books and drawings owe many of their settings to his favourite locations. Probably the county’s smallest tourist attraction, the Reverend George Bramwell Even’s caravan, made famous by his books and radio programme, stands in the Romany memorial garden in Wilmslow. The county has links with Shakespeare and Jane Austen as well, so you won’t be disappointed!

Walkers will also find plenty of choice in Cheshire. The towpath by the Cheshire Ring Canal offers a relaxing way to get some air and exercise, whilst the county’s principal forest is popular and educational. For a longer trek, there’s the Biddulph Valley Way, the Salt Line and Merelake Way, the Wheelock Rail Trail and the Whitegate Way, from which to choose. Be sure to take in some of the interesting villages on your travels too. Alderley Edge and Bollington are especially worthy of consideration.

So, where can you find Cheshire’s ancient trees, ancient woodlands and other great treescapes? Let’s begin with a selection of properties owned and/or managed by the National Trust.

The hall at Lyme Park (SJ9682) near Disley was originally a Tudor house but was redesigned by Leoni into an Italianate palace. The interior is renowned for its collection of English clocks, tapestries and wood carvings. Outside you’ll find a 17-acre Victorian garden - including an Edwardian rose garden – a medieval deer-park with red and fallow deer, woodland and wild Peak District moorland on a historic estate covering some 1,400 acres. The parkland, once part of the Macclesfield Forest royal hunting grounds, includes two remarkable old lime trees, a number of ancient oak trees, splendid lime and sycamore avenues, and an 18th century hunting tower, known as the Cage. Incidentally, the BBC used Lyme Hall as a setting from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and the Pemberley Trail will no doubt delight those ladies who dream of Mr Darcy!

On the site of a Norman castle, Dunham Massey (SJ7387) is an early Georgian house, with impressive Edwardian interiors. This mansion is set in a country estate, which includes a medieval deer-park and one of the region’s finest gardens. In the parkland you’ll find some wonderful avenues, as well as ponds and a working Tudor mill. Here several magnificent ancient oak standards survive, as well as a number of splendid beech trees which date back some 250 years or so. Note how the trees on the estate cast shimmering reflections in the Elizabethan moat, and be sure to pay a visit to both the bluebell woodland and the plantsman’s gardens.

The early 19th century Wyatt house at Tatton Park (SJ7481) is home to the Egerton family’s collections, including specially commissioned Gillow furniture. It’s situated amid 1,000 acres of splendid landscaped parkland. You’ll have no problem spotting deer here, as they roam freely across the estate, and migratory birds feed in numbers on the mere. The gardens, some of the finest managed by the National Trust, were designed in 1715. They feature imported exotic trees and a long-established arboretum, whilst the impressive beech maze dates back to 1795. As you walk along the Broad Walk too, you can’t fail to admire the beautiful old beech trees.

The National Trust’s Alderley Edge (SJ8677) is a red sandstone escarpment, designated a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) because of its geological significance. Here you’ll not only find copper mines with a history which dates back to prehistoric and Roman times, but also fine views and lovely walks through oak and beech woodland, including a two-mile link to Hare Hill (SJ8776). The woodland setting here incorporates a colourful walled and scented garden, together with a number of rather unusual sculptures. The surrounding parkland shelters a number of fine trees and some pleasant walks. Lastly, the Styal Estate (SJ8383) which is one of the UK’s finest industrial heritage sites and includes Quarry Bank Mill, a working cotton mill, provides an entirely different setting for its meandering woodland and riverside walks.
 
English Heritage manages and preserves what remains of the medieval Beeston Castle (SJ5359), built in 1226 and standing on what was once a Bronze-Age hillfort from circa 800BC. In fact, it stands on a sheer, rocky crag, some 500 feet above the Cheshire plain and providing quite possibly the best views from any castle in the country. You can look right across to the Pennines in the east and to the Welsh mountains in the west. It also possesses one of the deepest castle wells in the UK. This fortification was once a royal stronghold for King Henry III and King Edward I, but it was wrested from the monarchy during the Civil War. If you can face the steep climb, it’s a great place to gain a better appreciation of English history, and it will also give you an opportunity to look for the small number of ancient trees which still stand.

Forest Enterprise is responsible for Cheshire’s largest area of woodland, Delamere Forest Park, which lies within the Mersey Forest. It includes the Iron-Age Eddisbury Hill Fort, and the Norman hunting forests of Mara and Mondrum, of which Delamere itself was once a part. As well as the mixed woodland, much of which has ancient origins, it encompasses a number of meres, bogs and mosses. There are several way-marked footpaths and cycle tracks, and there’s plenty of added interest. Within this compact area of varying habitat and scenery, there are four areas designated as a SSSI, and you’ll find a major wetland restoration project called Blakemere Moss, which has become a magnet for ornithologists. Hatchmere is similarly popular with birdwatchers, whilst Delamere is better known for its damselflies and dragonflies. Access to the forest is via Linmere Visitor Centre or the Whitefield Car Park.

Let’s turn now to the Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT). Keep an eye out for its leaflet entitled Ancient Woodlands in the Cheshire region. This was produced by the (snappily-titled!) Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland Local Biodiversity Action Plan Action Group and provides a wealth of interesting information about the subject.

The CWT manages a number of interesting and important sites across the county, including several semi-natural ancient woodland locations, many of which are designated as a SSSI. Foxes Wood (SJ3281) is predominantly ash and oak. You’ll see a waterfall and an old mill-leete here, and keep a sharp eye out for ancient woodland indicators such as sanicle, enchanter’s nightshade and moschatel, plus the pretty, delicate water avens. Nearby Thornton Wood (SJ3281) is also largely ash and oak, with areas of alder and grey willow. It runs along the steeply sloping Clatterbeck valley and is a good place to look for dingy shell and small yellow wave butterflies. In the marshy areas, look for reed canary grass, golden saxifrage and water plantain. Patrick’s Wood (SJ3482) lies on the steep slopes above the River Dibbin and is best known for the caddisfly, which lives within its petrifying well springs.
 
Lying on the south bank of the Lower Weaver Valley, Warburton’s Wood (SJ5576) incorporates clough woodland, three small areas of herb-rich grassland and a stream. Here you’ll note some wild service trees and small-leaved lime trees, whilst giant bellflowers, pale wood violets, wood millet and hairy woodrush all grow here. Similarly, Owley Wood (SJ6274) is ancient clough woodland and lies on the steep east-facing slopes of the river valley. There’s a popular circular walk along the River Weaver and up to the wooded hilltop, from where you can enjoy some fabulous views. Brookheys Covert (SJ7490) stands within the Dunham Park Estate. Here you’ll find oak woodland, which also contains crab apple trees and several ponds, created when the marl pits were flooded. Visit in spring for a dazzling display of bluebells, and look here too for water violets, kingcups, greater spearwort, the quaintly-named nodding bur-marigold and yellow archangel. Cotterill Clough (SJ8083), on the lower part of a wooded ravine, mainly comprises ash, oak, alder and wild cherry. This site was purchased by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation in 1934 as a memorial to the famous Cheshire naturalist, T.A. Coward. Here you may also spot a few wych elms, plus marsh marigolds, pendulous sedge and wood anemones.

The Woodland Trust also manages some superb woodland sites in the county. Big Wood (SJ5583) near Runcorn is adjacent to the historic Norton Priory. There are numerous footpaths through this mixed woodland, which was once part of the Norton estate and which includes a large pond at its centre. The Brookes family transformed the site in the mid 18th century, creating a pleasure garden and woodland walks. This work continued until the late 19th century, but sadly it was affected by both road and housing developments and allowed to deteriorate in the 20th century. The Woodland Trust has been restoring what remains of this superb wood, and it’s well worth a visit. Park Moss (SJ6681) near Arley lies on the peaty remnant of a moss. As well as the areas where Corsican pine has been cleared to make way for newly planted broadleaved trees, you’ll notice the open ditches which encircle the woodland to aid drainage. Look here too for the variety of ferns which pattern the woodland floor. Lumb Brook Valley (SJ6284) near Warrington is designated ancient semi-natural woodland and is effectively four woods combined, as it also includes The Fords Rough, The Dingle and Long Wood. Visit here to see spring flowers and some fine mature oak trees. If you’re game, it’s quite possible to combine these woods in a single day with two more splendid sites, Grappenhall Heys (SJ6385) and Grappenhall Wood (SJ6485), making a round half-dozen in total!

Additionally, check out the Woodland Trust’s other designated ancient semi-natural woodland sites in Cheshire, all of which merit a visit: Woodhouse Hill (SJ5175) and Frodsham Hill Wood (SJ5177) near Frodsham; Murdishaw Wood (SJ5580) near Runcorn; and Twig & Bog Woods (SJ5989) near Warrington.

Now, here are three prominent Cheshire estates of great interest. Firstly, built on the site of an 11th century hunting lodge, Adlington Hall has been home to the Legh family since the early 14th century. The wonderfully colourful landscaped grounds include a medieval deer-park, wooded gardens, a maze and a water garden, and most notably they boast a wonderful avenue of 17th century lime trees, one of the oldest in the UK. Secondly, the Jacobean-style mansion of Capesthorne Hall has been the ancestral home of the Bromley-Davenports since the early 18th century and contains interesting collections of fine art and antiques. It’s set in 100 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland, where can you wander amongst the clumps of mature trees, by the lakes and through the woods and arboretum. Thirdly, the half-timbered Gawsworth Hall was predominantly built in the 15th century and is best known as being the home of Mary Fitton, the “dark lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets. There are fine grounds here too, including medieval parkland enclosed by a 16th century wall, an Elizabethan garden and an open air theatre which is still used during summer months! Note the specimen trees on the lawns running down to the pool.

Other interesting attractions in the county include the 18th century specimen trees in the 800-acre parkland, colourful gardens and water gardens that complement the Gothic architecture of Cholmondeley Castle near Malpas; the 18th century oak clumps on the medieval estate at Doddington Hall; the specimen trees at 18th century Tabley House, which is considered by many as being the finest Palladian Mansion in the north west of England and is set in a 4,000-acre estate including some fine parkland and two lakes; Combermere Abbey with impressive beech and sweet chestnut trees in its 18th century parkland; Dorfold Hall near Nantwich, which was built in the early 17th century and has many fine specimen trees in the gardens, as well as a woodland area; the 35-acre arboretum at Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre, which includes national collections of Malus (crab apple) and Sorbus (whitebeam); Rode Hall Gardens near Scholar Green, which incorporates a rose garden designed by Nesfield, a Repton landscape and a woodland garden; and Little Moreton Hall, which is possibly the finest example of a 16th century timber-fronted, moated manor house in the UK and which possesses a splendid yew tree tunnel.

Finally, here are three other great treescapes to consider visiting: Stanney Wood (SJ3973), a remnant of ancient woodland and once part of Cheshire’s crown forests, which is a designated Local Nature Reserve and has three lovely way-marked trails.; Marbury Country Park (SJ6576) which consists of parkland and woodland, including Big Wood and Hopyard Wood, and which used to surround the old hall; and Macclesfield Forest (SJ9671), which overlooks the Cheshire Plain and is set around three reservoirs on the slopes of the Peak District hills.

If you know of other ancient trees in Cheshire or if you wish to suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on Cambridgeshire, we’d love to hear from you!

Please email us, providing as much information as possible and preferably including an Ordnance Survey map reference. We’re also very keen to build up a library of photographs of ancient trees and ancient tree sites. Can you help? If you’re willing to share your treescapes and tree portraits, please email them to us, remembering to provide location details for each photo, with an Ordnance Survey map reference if possible. We’d love to include them in a future article!