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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 Shropshire, one of
England’s most beautiful counties, with a quite remarkable natural
heritage, and yet strangely one which many people can’t place
geographically. Bordering Wales and located in the West Midlands,
this tranquil county provides a wealth of natural attractions,
including The Long Mynd, The Stiperstones and The Wrekin. To the
north, there are some wonderful meres and mosses created by mother
nature in ages past, as well as some magnificent gardens created by
man in more recent times, relatively speaking.
This county has inspired many famous writers, from “those blue
remembered hills” of the poet A E Houseman (A Shropshire Lad) to P G
Wodehouse, who set Blandings Castle here. Shakespeare wrote a play
about the Battle of Shrewsbury, and the county town also provided
the 12th century setting for the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael by
Ellis Peters.
This is one of the counties for walkers. There are some 3,500 miles
of rights of way for you to explore, over the hills and heaths,
along the canals and rivers, and around the meres and lakes. For a
pleasant stroll, look out for a super series of circular walks, all
based upon Shropshire’s finest market towns and villages. If you
prefer a route march, however, then there’s plenty of choice too.
Along the Welsh borders, Offa constructed his dyke to keep the
unwelcome out, and a long distance walk now tries to follow his
route. The Shropshire Way, the Severn Way (tracking the river’s
journey from its source to the sea), the Mortimer Trail, the Marches
Way and the 72-mile long Jack Mytton Way all criss-cross the county.
Craven Arms provides the start point for the Secret Hills Discovery
Walks, whilst the Severn Valley Railway offers a pleasant walk from
each of its stations.
If you prefer pedal or horse power, this is the perfect county for a
ride. For a more leisurely trip, you can try the narrow boats of the
Shropshire Union and Llangollen Canals.
Shoppers, historians and horticulturalists will all find something
of interest in and around Shrewsbury. Just to the north is
Battlefield; its church was built as a memorial to the thousands who
died in just three hours of fighting in 1403, when Henry IV
confronted Harry Hotspur’s rebels. The black and white “magpie”
buildings of medieval Shropshire still dominate the town centre,
including the museum which provides a fascinating insight into the
settlements of the Iron Age and the Roman Empire. The Norman castle
was the setting for many a siege in the Middle Ages; today it houses
the Shropshire Regimental Museum. Charles Darwin was born here in
1809, and tributes to the town’s most famous son are easily visible.
Be sure to visit the Abbey too, and the Saxon church of St Mary’s
with its fabulous stained glass windows and 15th century carved oak
ceiling. Take a stroll through the 29-acre park, The Quarry, with
its colourful garden (The Dingle), and then head off along the
river, either on foot or by boat. The Severn flows in a horseshoe
loop around the town, almost creating an island. Finally, this
historic town plays host to England’s longest running flower show in
August each year – it’s more than 100 years old and now has over 3
million blooms!
Other popular destinations include Oswestry, where the mountainous
landscape of Wales merges into England; Ellesmere, the county’s own
version of the Lake District; Bridgnorth in the Severn Valley, a
two-tiered market town; Wroxeter – a Roman settlement; Ironbridge,
with the world’s first iron bridge spanning the Severn Gorge and
with no fewer than ten museums located in its beautiful valley;
Ludlow with its fine castle; and Telford – a high-tech, futuristic
town.
So, where might you find some of Shropshire’s top locations for
ancient trees and treescapes?
Let’s start with the National Trust’s Attingham Park (SJ5509)
near Shrewsbury. This is one of the Midlands’ great mansions,
designed by George Steuart in the 18th century for the first Lord
Berwick. Hear how the family’s wealth was frittered away, as you
take a costumed guided tour through the regency interiors and John
Nash’s picture gallery. Then take in the landscaped park, which
bears all the usual hallmarks of Repton. Here you’ll find lovely
walks by the River Tern, through the woods and across the deer park,
though the way-markings are rather confusing to say the least! Keep
an eye out for a few surviving ancient oaks and beeches, as you
wander along.
Here are three other National Trust properties of interest in the
county. Sunnycroft (SJ6510) near Telford is a late-Victorian
gentleman’s residence with a mini estate which includes a noteworthy
Wellingtonia avenue. Walcot Park (SO3483) near Bishop’s
Castle was a deer park in the Middle Ages. Today, around forty
ancient oaks remain. Dudmaston (SO7488) near Bridgnorth is a
mansion from the late 17th century, now unusually housing a fine
collection of contemporary art. Check out the colourful gardens and
take a stroll in the Dingle, an enchanting wooded valley, and across
the estate walks from nearby Hampton Loade.
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust cares for some fascinating properties,
including mosses, bogs, wildflower meadows, wetlands, ancient
geological sites and superb woodland.
The wood at Hope Valley (SJ3501) stands on the valley’s steep
slopes and is a testimony to the staying power of the oak tree. The
wood was more or less felled in the 1960s and replanted with
conifers, but the oak trees have grown back from the stumps, many
sprouting half a dozen or so trunks. The conifers are now largely
gone, and bluebells, early purple orchids and yellow archangels have
returned. Dormice reside here too, sometimes using the nest-boxes
and even crossing over into the remaining conifers. The paths are
well-marked and if you can manage the 100 steps, there are fine
views over to The Stiperstones.
Brook Vessons (SJ3800) is located on the northern slopes of
The Stiperstones and boasts a fine collection of large trees.
Reputedly the broadest rowan in the UK stands within 100 metres of
the largest birch, the largest holly and the largest crab apple tree
in the county, not to mention several other very substantial rowan
trees. This place gives a feeling of a previous age, a sense
heightened by some huge hedges and a significant number of rather
gnarled veteran trees. Earl’s Hill (SJ4004) near Pontesbury
has volcanic origins and was once the site of an iron age hill fort.
Splendid views are possible from the summits but don’t discount the
circular walk around the lower level. Some fine yew trees are to be
found amongst the oak, ash, hazel and field maple. Bluebells and
enchanter’s nightshade carpet the woodland floors, and look for the
delightful meadow saffron bulbs (wild colchicum) on the slopes.
Some 500 years of history are to be found at The Ercall (SJ6409),
a terrific piece of ancient oak woodland. This hill is often
considered as being The Wrekin’s little sister, and there’s little
doubt that the views are just as good, if you can manage the climb.
If not, don’t worry – once again there’s a fine walk around the
lower levels. Look for the dingy skipper butterfly amongst the
copious bird’s-foot trefoil in the summer and for the great array of
fungi in the autumn.
Other interesting Shropshire Wildlife Trust sites include Craig
Sychtyn (SJ2325) near Oswestry where you’ll see coppiced hazel,
together with spindle trees, wild service trees and some very
oddly-shaped oak trees, as well as stinking irises and nettle-leaved
bellflowers; Jones Rough (SJ2424) with violets,
pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies and three kinds of waxcap
fungi, amongst the coppiced hazels and the yews; The Plantation
(SJ4034) near Ellesmere with a dozen or more veteran oak trees,
a few dating back around 300 years; Quarry Wood (SJ6827) near
Hinstock where unusually rhododendrons were deliberately planted to
encourage the winter roosting of finches and thrushes; Lurkenhope
Wood (SO2973) where rock stonecrop and some thirty types of moss
have been identified amongst the oaks; the sessile oak woodland of
Clunton Coppice (SO3480) once used for charcoal production
and known for its rare fungi; Bushmoor Coppice (SO4388) –
don’t miss the fine old oaks on the nearby access lane; and
Harton Hollow (SO4887) near Wenlock Edge where sanicle and herb
paris grow on the rich fossilised limestone.
The Woodland Trust also manages three particularly interesting sites
in the county. Firstly, Pentre Wood (SJ2737) near Bronygarth
is a designated Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland site and the river
bank is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Secondly,
a thirteen-acre wood called Workhouse Coppice (SJ6602) near
Ironbridge is also listed in the Nature Conservancy Council
Inventory of Ancient Woodland as being Ancient Semi-Natural
Woodland. Thirdly, Helmeth Wood (SO4693) near Church Stretton
is ancient sessile oak woodland. Ash and small-leaved lime are found
here too. The wood was once coppiced for local use, with the last
major coppicing taking place around the First World War. This is
designated Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland and is located within the
South Shropshire Hills Area of Oustanding Beauty.
Leaving aside the three trusts, here are two other important ancient
tree locations in the county. Firstly, there’s Chetwynd Deer Park
(SJ7321), run by the Shropshire Agricultural Society and
arguably the loveliest showground in the Midlands. There’s still a
herd of fallow deer here, descendents of the original herd of a
century ago, and some fine examples of mature oak and beech trees. A
number of ancient oaks also stand in another deer park, Loton
Park (SJ3514), which is accessible via public footpaths. The
private house here stands in some 400 acres of grounds and gardens,
with fabulous views across to Long Mountain. The estate is also a
popular venue for motor sports.
Other sites worthy of a mention in Shropshire include Pitchford
Hall Park (SJ5104) near Shrewsbury, renowned for quite possibly
the world’s oldest tree-house, dating from the 17th century and
located a huge broad-leaved lime; The Hollies (SJ3600), which
is part of the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve managed by
English Nature and contains – as the name suggests – several ancient
holly pollards; Marrington Park (SO2797) near Chirbury, where
a number of ancient oaks are still standing; Millichope Park
(SO5288) with more ancient oaks amid its 13 acres of garden,
lakes and woodland walks; Lydham Manor near Bishop’s Castle
famous for possessing one of England’s biggest oaks; one of
Britain’s finest arboretums at Walcot Hall, formerly home to
Lord Clive of India; The Arboretum at Ellesmere; the woods
surrounding the mere at the nearby Colemere Country Park; and
The Quarry – a municipal park in Shrewsbury bordering the
River Severn.
If you know of other ancient trees in Shropshire or if you wish to
suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on
Berkshire, 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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