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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 Leicestershire, tucked
away in the East Midlands, a county of quintessential English
villages and historic market towns, with a landscape varying from
the ancient Charnwood Forest to the delightful open uplands of High
Leicestershire. Renowned for the popularity of its food produce -
notably cheeses, pork pies, cakes and most recently crisps - this
county offers plenty of interest to visitors and to nature-lovers,
including birdwatchers and walkers – and that’s not an intentional
reference to one of Britain’s largest producers of snack foods!
The historic city of Leicester stands at its heart of course, with
Roman ruins in Castle Park, everything from dinosaur skeletons to
Egyptian mummies and German Expressionist paintings in New Walk
Museum, and rockets and satellites at the award-winning National
Space Museum. This is also a place which prides itself on its ethnic
diversity, with a colourful Caribbean Festival and reputedly the
largest Diwali (Festival of Light) outside India.
Market towns abound with some unusual points of interest. Market
Harborough is a rare example of a planned town from the Middle Ages,
being created in the 12th century to generate local trade. Melton
Mowbray, the only Leicestershire market listed in the Domesday
survey, is famed for its Stilton cheese, pork pies and rich cake,
and it has the nearby Rutland Water providing a magnet for
birdwatchers and the Twin Lakes Park offering hours of family fun.
Loughborough is best known for its bells, with no fewer than 47
(weighing between 20lbs and 4 tons) located in a 150-foot tower. The
belfry was modelled on a medieval one located in Moulins, France.
The site of a castle, a manor house, a 70-foot monument and a number
of half-timbered buildings provide extra interest to the historic
town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, whilst Hinckley has long been the centre
of our hosiery industry.
The Great Union Canal, with its ten Foxton Locks, and the
steam-powered Great Central Railway dissect the county, offering an
insight into travel from days gone by. Railway pioneer George
Stephenson was responsible for the Leicester & Swannington line and
opened Snibston Colliery, which has been transformed into Snibston
Discovery Park, near Coalville. Elsewhere, historic battlefields and
castles contrast with the excitement of the natural world, offered
vividly by Conkers, which is located at the heart of the National
Forest.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the top locations for ancient
trees and terrific treescapes in the county of Leicestershire...
A good place to start is Bradgate Park (SK5211) in Newton
Linford, part of the Charnwood Forest and the county’s largest and
most popular country park. This 1,100-acre medieval deer park, now
owned by the county council, includes areas of heath, bracken, rocky
outcrops and small woods, as well as a stretch of the River Lin. If
you look carefully as you wander across the parkland, you’ll spot a
small number of ancient oaks, and you may well see at least some of
the 500 species of beetle recorded here too! Some 300 fallow and red
deer still roam the grounds as well, but only ruins remain of
Bradgate House, which was built by Sir Thomas Grey in the late 15th
century and was once home to Lady Jane Grey. She was Queen of
England for just 9 days following the death of Edward VI, then she
was accused of treason and promptly beheaded! Another point of
interest is the curious folly of Old John, standing high on a ridge.
This is a well known county landmark, named after an old retainer
who apparently died in a tragic accident.
Some fine examples of ancient oak trees, together with a very large
cherry tree, are to be found at Belvoir Castle (SK8133),
which has been the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland
for 1,000 years. The castle, which was rebuilt in the early 19th
century, having been ravaged by wars and fire, occupies a commanding
position, with superb views across the Vale of Belvoir. It houses
the Queen’s Royal Lancers Museum, and the restored Duchess’ Spring
Gardens which are set in nearby woodland, are certainly well worth a
visit.
Not too far away is Croxton Park (SK8127) at Croxton Kerrial,
where again a small number of ancient oaks remain. The ruins of an
abbey dating from the 12th century lie in the park, which was used
as a race course until 1914. In the village is the only remaining
example of a smock mill in Leicestershire, together with a water
spout, part of an old water scheme using a spring from a nearby
hill.
The 800-plus acres of parkland at Castle Donington known as
Donington Park (SK4126) are situated where the three counties of
Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire meet. The site is, of
course, best known for its international Grand Prix motor racing
circuit. Leaving aside its commercial aspects, this location is of
great importance to our natural heritage. Oak woodland dates back
here to medieval times, to the 13th century, and fine examples of
ancient oak, lime, sycamore and hawthorn trees are still present.
Whatton Park (SK4924) near Long Whatton has numerous mature
parkland trees and is home to around a dozen ancient oaks. Laid out
in the early 19th century, the parkland is more or less rectangular,
with permanent pasture to the east of the house, woodland to the
south-east and arable farmland to the north and south. The gardens
also date from the early 1800s, with the Chinese Garden, walled
kitchen garden and arboretum being notable features. The house had
to be rebuilt in the late 19th century – another victim of fire -
and remains in private ownership.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust manages the largest
amount of ancient woodland in the area and has many sites which are
well worth a look. Cloud Wood (SK4121) near Breedon-on-the-Hill
is part of a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). More than
220 species of flowering plants and ferns have been recorded here,
including violet helleborine, bee and bird’s nest orchids. Dating
back to medieval times, Charley Woods (SK4714) near Copt Oak
is divided into two ancient woods, plus the planted field between
them. Burrow Wood dates from the 1500s and is dominated by oak,
together with ash, sycamore and some particularly large holly trees.
Visit in spring for a fine show of bluebells. Records on Cat Hill
Woods, or the wood of the wildcats, date back to 1260. Oak dominates
again, this time with sweet chestnut as well as sycamore.
The county’s wildlife trust also manages Ulverscroft Nature
Reserve (SK4911), part of the ancient Charnwood Forest, for the
National Trust. This location is especially worthy of a visit to
check out the display of bluebells in late spring. Launde Woods
(SK7803) between Launde and Loddingham comprise Launde Big Wood,
which is located high on a hilltop, and Launde Park Wood, which
stands on the site of a medieval deer park. Both possess massive
boundary earthworks and huge coppice stools dating back several
centuries. These are amongst the largest ancient woods in the East
Midlands and boast a rich diversity of fauna and ground flora.
Believed to date back thousands of years, Priors Coppice (SK8305)
near Braunston is ancient ash-maple and ash-wych elm woodland and is
registered as a SSSI. It is believed to have been used by local
communities as a source of timber for many centuries, and giant
coppice stools – some five metres across – remain today. Some 230
species of flowering plants and ferns have been recorded here,
including wood forget-me-nots, together with the speckled bush
cricket, more than 200 types of moth and at least 70 different kinds
of birds. Lastly, there’s Great Merrible Wood (SP8396) near
Uppingham in the Eye Brook Valley, which is again part of a SSSI.
The origins of this wood can only be traced back to the early 19th
century but signs of ridge and furrow cultivation suggest parts of
the wood have been here much longer. Ash, oak, hazel and field maple
are prominent today.
As always, the Woodland Trust manages several noteworthy woodland
locations, and the following are well worth a visit: Willesley
Woodland (SK3314) which stands in the National Forest near
Ashby-de-la-Zouch; Burroughs Wood (SK4906) near Ratby, which
has in part ancient origins; Martin’s Wood (SK5015) near
Woodhouse Eaves, which is amongst the Midland’s highest woodland and
lies within the ancient Charnwood Forest; and Martinshaw Wood
(SK5106), which is located between Ratby and Groby and used to
be part of a medieval deer park.
Finally, here are a few other treescapes worth checking out: the
Iron Age hill fort of Burrough Hill near Melton Mowbray with
woodland trails and fine views; Sarah’s Wood (SK3115) which
is designed by and for the less-abled and stands close to the
impressive National Forest and Conkers exhibition centres;
Willesley New Woods (SK3215) in the National Forest near
Ashby-de-la-Zouch; New Lount Nature Reserve (SK3918) near
Shepshed, which encompasses fragments of ancient woodland and
has been previously used as both a colliery and a tip; Bagworth
Heath Woods (SK4506), a 75-hectare reclaimed colliery site
between Bagworth and Thornton; The Outwoods (SK5116) near
Loughborough which was once part of the Charnwood Forest dating back
to 500AD and is a SSSI; Beacon Hill Country Park (SK5214)
near Loughborough with 240 acres of undulating heathland, woodland
and meadows and splendid views of the county from its summit;
Swithland Wood (SK5311) in the Charnwood Forest which offers
ancient oaks, carpets of bluebells and views of Loughborough; and
Jubilee Wood near Loughborough with its rocky outcrops and
woodland walks.
If you know of other ancient trees in Leicestershire or if you wish to
suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on
Northamptonshire, 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! |
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