Focus on Lincolnshire

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 Lincolnshire, a traditional rural county to the east of England. Its landscape flows gracefully via historic towns and cities from the idyllic Wolds inland to the splendid coastal resorts to the east. As well as unspoilt coastlands, you’ll find superb estuary marshes, wetlands and ancient woods, all great locations for bird-watching and for a wide variety of flora and fauna. Its history is fascinating too, from its vital importance to the Romans who invaded Britain 2000 years ago to the aviation heritage of more modern times.

Lincoln is of course the county capital. From whichever direction you approach, the majestic cathedral will catch your eye, standing high above the cobbled streets. It’s known too for its Christmas market, waterfront festival, antiques and art. This city has Roman origins, dating back to the first century AD. They built a fortress on the hill overlooking the River Witham and designated it a Colonia (along with Gloucester, York and Colchester) for veteran soldiers.

Roman origins can also be found at Horncastle, linked to Caistor by a route (now the B1225) which pre-dates the Romans. Both were forts and were enclosed by walls. Roman roads are easily identifiable as well, including Ermine Street (now the A15) which linked London, Lincoln and York, and the Fosse Way (now the A46) which linked Lincoln with Leicester and onwards to Bath and Exeter. Dotted across the county you can find many other Roman remains and earthworks too, mainly of villas, forts and small settlements.

The county’s coastline can be divided into two distinct categories, the seaside resorts and the rural coast. Popular holiday resorts stretching from Skegness to Mablethorpe include Ingoldmells, Sutton on Sea and Trusthorpe, all offering sand, sea and family fun holidays. Nature lovers, birdwatchers and conservationists head though to the wilder stretches of sand and the tranquility of rural coast, most notably Gibraltar Point.

The inland landscape is dominated by agriculture. The county’s farming tradition continues today, with arable and livestock farms complementing each other. The land here is wonderfully fertile for the right crops, and the county’s well known of course for its pigs. Not surprisingly, this is a great area for food, with fine potatoes, salads and sausages amongst its many delights!

With 4,000 kilometres or so of public rights of way, this is fine walking country, especially if you prefer a flatter terrain. Don’t be fooled though - there are plenty of hills in the county too! Fen marshland is no longer evident here, but the wide open spaces of the Fens, a fertile plain, dotted with windmills, pretty villages, quiet country lanes and waterways, are great for exploring. In the Wolds you’ll find interesting market towns, like Alford, Louth, Coningsby and Tattershall, plus numerous picture postcard villages. If you’re interested in historical connections, look out too for links between the Wolds and two great Englishmen, the explorer Sir John Franklin and the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson. The Wolds - a designated Area of Outstanding Beauty for more than three decades – saw its inaugural walking festival taking place in 2005, with 50 walks on offer ranging from pub walks and town trails to long distance hikes.

Incidentally, don’t be surprised as you drive or walk around the county to find an aviation theme with old airfields, museums and exhibitions plentiful. The aeroplanes will probably find you - most notably from Scampton, home to the famous Red Arrows!

Now, where might you locate some of this county’s finest examples of ancient trees, ancient woodland and stunning treescapes?

Belton House (SK9339) is a good place to start. Managed today by the National Trust, this was built for Sir John Brownlow in the 17th century and is one of England’s finest examples of a Restoration country house. The interior is renowned for its wood-carvings, fine plasterwork, tapestries, paintings and silver. The 1,000-plus acres of estate comprise a magnificent landscaped park, a deer enclosure, a lakeside walk, 36 acres of formal gardens, an orangery and a children’s adventure playground. Look whilst crossing the parkland in particular for the two dozen or so remaining ancient oaks. This superb location has been used for a number of films including Moondial in 1987 and Pride & Prejudice in 1995.

Other NT sites of interest include Gunby Hall (TF4666), dating from 1700 with Victorian walled gardens; Grantham House (SK9136), a handsome town house with gardens and a river setting; Woolsthorpe Manor (SK9224) the birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton, where you can sit under the descendent of that famous apple tree; and the grounds of the 15th century Tattershall Castle, complete with moat and bridges. Incidentally, if you climb the 150 steps up to the battlements here, you’ll get unrivalled views of the Lincolnshire countryside.

Forestry Enterprise manages Chambers Farm Wood (TF1473) within the Bardney Limewoods, a National Nature Reserve (NNR) between Wragby and Bardney. These woods provide one of the most important examples of small-leaved lime woodland in the UK. Look here for the few remaining ancient limes, and take note – this is a great location for flora and fauna. As well as the woodland, you’ll also find a small ancient meadow, which is rich in wild flowers. As you walk along the wide rides, you’ll notice that coppicing has been re-introduced into some parts of the wood, and in the summer watch for a variety of woodland and grassland butterflies. Roe deer, fallow deer and adders may be spotted too in the medieval woodland, the pine woods or on the lowland heath. College Wood (TF1275) is also part of Bardney Limewoods and is known in particular for one huge veteran oak and its alleys of limes and ash. Other woods in this group include Newball Wood (TF0875), Austacre Wood, Hardy Gang Wood (SK0975) and New Park Wood (TF1470).

Another key Forestry Enterprise location in Lincolnshire is Kesteven Forest (TF0720). This expansive site, stretching from Grantham and Stamford right across to Rutland, comprises a number of small ancient woodlands, including the popular Bourne Woods (TF0720). Having parked in a delightful glade within the ancient woodland, there are waymarked trails through these splendid woods. Other popular parts of the forest include Twyford Wood (SK9423), where you’ll find the remnants of a wartime airfield; Morkery Wood (SK9519) with its impressive boundary oaks; the picnic area at Ropsley Rise Wood (SK9734); the broadleaf ancient woodland of Temple Wood (TF0530); and Callans Lane Wood (TF0627) with a ditch and bank system still clearly visible. Be sure to check out the impressive Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue (SK9816) too, a collection of clipped yew trees. Keep an eye open in the forest for muntjac and fallow deer, as a very large population exists here, and listen in spring and summer for visiting nightingales, garden warblers, whitethroats and grasshopper warblers.

Willingham Woods (TF1388) is another interesting location managed by Forestry Enterprise. It’s part of a large complex of pine woods and heathland near Market Rasen, and is an active working commercial site. It’s also very popular with visitors, often being used as a stop-off point for holidaymakers heading to and from the coast. Very fortunate visitors might spot all three kinds of deer here - red, roe and fallow.

The Woodland Trust also manages several excellent sites in Lincolnshire. The 230-acre mixed semi-natural ancient woodland of Old Wood (SK9072) near Skellingthorpe is probably the pick. Alma Park (SK9436) was planted in the mid-1800s and named after the battle of Alma in the Crimean War. High Wood (TF0146) is positioned on top of a hill above the Roman town of Ancaster. Its boundaries are flanked by splendid mature oak and ash trees, possibly dating back some 150 years. Violets thrive here, and look too for purple hairstreak and white admiral butterflies. The Pinewoods (TF1963) at Woodhall Spa were once dominated by pines but redwoods have been introduced over the years, along with native broad-leaved species including lime, oak and ash. Tattershall Carrs (TF2159) consists of two areas of woodland, namely Tattershall Thorpe Carr and Tattershall Carr. The largest and finest example of alder carr in the county, this semi-natural ancient woodland is a designated SSSI. It was used as a RAF base in World War II – home to the famous 617 Dambusters Squadron.

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s inventory is another good place to look for ancient woodland sites and other interesting treescapes. Here’s a good selection for your consideration. Langholme Wood (SK7597) is birch and oak woodland with some open heath. It’s known locally as being good place for a fungi foray. The quaintly named Tortoiseshell Wood (SK9619) has a number of oaks dating back at least 150 years, as well as noteworthy ash standards. Wild service trees are unusually numerous, and fallow deer are frequently seen here. The site also includes excellent wildflower-rich meadows. Dole Wood (TF0916) near Thurlby is a remnant of the extensive woodland which used to cover South Kesteven. Oak standards and hazel coppice are prominent but look also for wych elm and wild service trees. Over 120 species of moth have been recorded here. Goslings Corner Wood (TF1475) is a small area of oak standards and coppiced small-leaved lime woodland. You’ll notice an ancient wood bank along the western and southern boundaries, and if you visit in spring there’ll be plenty of flowers. Greater butterfly orchids, bird’s nest orchids, lily of the valley are amongst the less usual species to be seen here.

Roughton Moor Wood (TF2163) has a particularly impressive avenue of ageing Corsican pines, apparently intended as the approach to a house, which was never built. Muckton Wood (TF3881) is semi-natural ancient woodland of mainly oak and ash, with aspen, field maple and alder also prevalent. Broad-leaved helleborine, moschatel and herb paris are amongst the plants found here. Rigsby Wood (TF4276) has ancient origins, though one section known as The Pingle shows evidence of old ridge and furrow techniques. Look for a medieval boundary bank at the edge of the oldest part of the wood. Here there’s old hazel and ash coppice, and bluebells abound in late spring. Hopland’s Wood (TF4571) is dominated by oak and ash, and you’ll find some fine standards. Downy birch and alder are common too, along with hazel coppice. The damp ground is ideal for ferns and mosses, and the ground flora includes primroses, early purple orchids, water avens and creeping jenny. Friskney Decoy Wood (TF4657) is mixed woodland, dominated by birch and sycamore. The decoy here was once the most famous in the East Fen and was in use until 1878. Look here for climbing corydalis, a plant not common in eastern England.

The LWT also manages two country parks for the county council. Snipe Dales Country Park (TA0122) near Spilsby is a fine example of a remaining semi-natural wet valley system. This 90-acre site is mainly coniferous woodland, because the Forestry Commission used to own the site. There are, however, some magnificent mature ash trees to the north-east of the site. The ponds attract dragonflies, migrant waders and waterfowl. The popular four-mile waymarked walk, known as the Snipe Dales Round, takes in both the country park and the nature reserve.

Whisby Nature Park (SK9166) near Lincoln is best known for its flooded gravel pits but also has areas of woodland. The waterside willow and birch cast wonderful reflections into the pools. An incredible 7,000 southern marsh orchids flower in one small area, whilst purple hairstreaks are amongst the wide variety of butterflies recorded here.

Finally, let’s turn to some of the privately owned properties in the county.

Grimsthorpe Castle (TF0422) near Bourne is managed by the Grimsthorpe and Drummond Trust. The castle contains an interesting collection of paintings and furniture, whilst the estate grounds include 15 acres of formal and woodland gardens. There’s a mini arboretum and an area of wild woodland garden. Across the lake you’ll see tree-lined avenues dating from the 17th century, and look out for a small number of remaining ancient oak trees too. This lovely English estate was another setting for a film – The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders - in 1966.

Normanby Hall is the ancestral home to the Sheffield family and today is provides a popular country park. The estate includes an award-winning Victorian Walled Garden, a plant nursery, a farm museum and 300 acres of landscaped gardens, deer-park, woodland and lakes.

Belvoir Castle (SK8233) near Grantham is located in a fairytale hillside setting in the midst of steep woodland. Home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, this is a popular visitor attraction. The estate includes an English Heritage Grade 2 garden. Here you’ll find many mature specimen trees, including reputedly Britain’s tallest bird cherry at 90 feet high and yew at 93 feet high. This fabulous setting provided the backdrop for the 1999 film version of The Haunting.

Other interesting features at privately owned properties include the early 18th century yew walks at Ayscoughfee Hall (TF2522) near Spalding; the splendid ancient oak tree known as the Bowthorpe Oak at Bowthorpe Park Farm, Witham on the Hill; the 240 acres of woodland at Brocklesby Park (TA1210); the area of extensive broad-leaved woodland with mature deciduous and evergreen trees at Broughton & Twigmoor Woods; the magnificent trees in the ancient parkland at Burghley House (TF0406), a Tudor palace near Stamford; the ancient sweet chestnuts and yews at Doddington Hall (SK9070); the grounds at Grantham House in Grantham which include many specimen trees and a woodland walk; Capability Brown’s landscaped grounds at Hainton Hall (TF1784); the wooded parkland at Harlaxton Manor (SK8832); Edward Milner’s 19th century Lincoln Arboretum (SK9871); the four-acre garden at Little Ponton Hall near Grantham, with a fine cedar tree which is over 200 years old and a lovely river walk; the ancient wych elm and 16th century laburnum at Marston Hall (SK8943); and the mature woodland garden at Woodlands near Fotherby.

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

If you know of other ancient trees in Lincolnshire or if you wish to suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on Middlesex, we’d love to hear from you!
Please e-mail 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 e-mail 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!