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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 Suffolk in East Anglia, a
county boasting fine coastline and splendid countryside. In fact, it
has some 45 miles of coast, complementing a rolling, rural
quintessential English landscape. It’s said that this is the county
of wide open skies - a strange expression but one which in fact
seems to paint a rather perfect picture. Perhaps it’s no coincidence
then that John Constable found his inspiration in this landscape!
Ipswich is the main county town. It’s believed to be England’s
oldest Anglo Saxon town where there’s been continuous settlement. It
has fine medieval buildings too, including twelve churches, as well
as a re-born waterfront area and the splendid Orwell Country Park.
To the west of the county, bordering Cambridgeshire, you’ll find the
home of English horse-racing, Newmarket, with its racecourse and the
National Stud; the historic town of Bury St Edmunds, with its shrine
to the martyred king of East Anglia, a medieval gate, a restored
cathedral, a Georgian playhouse, numerous museums and Britain’s
smallest pub; Brandon, on the edge of Thetford Forest, which was
once England’s centre for flint-knapping; Mildenhall, a bustling
market town with its 16th century cross and pump, plus an active US
airbase; and Haverhill, with Anne of Cleves’ house and a market
dating back to the 13th century.
To the centre and south, there are numerous picturesque market towns
worthy of attention: Stowmarket, in the Gipping Valley, is a
bustling shopping centre and is home to the Museum of East Anglian
Life; Needham Market has a large number of fine Georgian buildings,
plus a 15th century church with a terrific hammerbeam roof; Lavenham
is one of our best preserved medieval towns - a wool and cloth
centre for five centuries – and is best known for its half-timbered
buildings, its guildhall and its magnificent church with a 141-foot
spire; Sudbury was a centre for weaving and silk, and was the
birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough; Hadleigh was a Viking royal town,
believed to be the final resting place of King Guthrum, and another
centre for the wool and cloth trade in the Middle Ages; Eye is an
18th century agricultural market town with a Norman castle mound and
a fine 15th century church; and Debenham was another wool centre of
the past, where today you can see fine 14th century timber-framed
merchants’ houses.
The so-called sunrise coast covers an area to the north and east of
the county, encompassing two popular coastal resorts: Lowestoft,
which has an old town to the north with fine 18th century merchants’
houses, as well as a modern shopping centre; and Southwold, which
overlooks Sole Bay, once a naval battle scene, and which is famous
for its lighthouse, cannons and brewery. Inland, there’s Bungay on
the River Waveney, known for its antiques shops, the ruins of
Bigod’s Castle and an ancient buttercross; Beccles, with its quay
and moorings providing a gateway to the Broads; and Halesworth with
its medieval buildings and noteworthy Saxon church.
The heritage coastline area within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB
runs from Walberswick and Blythburgh in the north to Felixstowe,
known as the Garden Resort (due to its beautiful south-facing
gardens and promenades) in the south. The ancient town of
Framlingham was once important for its agricultural market and has a
fine 12th century castle, whilst Aldeburgh is a pleasant seaside
resort, with Georgian shops and a famous music festival. Woodbridge
was known for its shipbuilding and sail-making, and just across the
river you’ll find Sutton Hoo.
So, where will we find Suffolk’s finest ancient trees, ancient
woodland and treescapes?
The house, park and gardens managed by the National Trust at
Ickworth (TL8161) are well worth a visit. A licence to create a
parkland area was granted in the mid-13th century. The unusual
Georgian mansion was designed by the eccentric 4th Earl of Bristol
in 1795. Note its curved corridors and central rotunda, as well as
the fine collections of paintings and Georgian silver on display.
Surrounding the house is splendid parkland, possibly landscaped by
Capability Brown. Here you’ll find super woodland walks, including
the Albana Wood Walk, as well as a lake, vineyard, a Georgian
summerhouse and an Italianate garden. The deer-park was here in the
Middle Ages, and today you’ll find a number of ancient oak trees as
you wander across this wonderful parkland. One is so large that four
people can barely link hands around its girth. Look too for some
very old yew trees, for fine cedar of Lebanon specimens and in the
old woodland belts at the parkland perimeter, for splendid hornbeam,
beech, field maple and oaks.
The National Trust is also responsible for Melford Hall (TL8646),
where you’ll find some fine specimen trees in the garden and a
lovely parkland walk. The turreted brick Tudor mansion here dates
back to the 16th century, when Queen Elizabeth I was known to visit.
It’s been home to the Hyde Parker family since the mid 18th century,
and you’ll find a small collection of items relating to Beatrix
Potter, a relative of the family. Lastly, Sutton Hoo (TM2848),
an Anglo-Saxon royal burial site, is best known for being one of
England’s most important archaeological sites but you can enjoy
heathland and woodland walks here too.
A large number of privately owned estates in Suffolk are well worth
a mention. The sheer number of ancient trees at Staverton Park
(TM3550) makes it the pick of the bunch. It’s thought that there
was a deer-park here in the Middle Ages. It has undoubtedly one of
the greatest collections of ancient oak, birch and holly trees in
the UK. An incredible 4,700 pollards remain on this 220-acre
woodland and parkland site! It’s particularly renowned for the huge
holly trees in the wooded area called The Thicks. This is one of
three sections of estate; the other two areas are known as The Park
and Little Staverton.
Forest Heath District Council is responsible for Aspal Close
(TL6977), a designated LNR. This medieval parkland is old
Breckland wood pasture, and around 200 ancient oaks, mainly
pollards, can still be seen here. Some are more than 700 years old.
This is an excellent location too for those interested in wild
flowers, butterflies and birds. Kentwell Hall (TL8647) is a
moated 16th century house built by the Clopton cloth-trading family.
Of note, there’s a magnificent mile-long lime avenue dating from
1678, plus very old cedars of Lebanon in grounds influenced by
Humphrey Repton. Euston Hall (TL8978) dates from the 1660s
and is the family home of the Duke of Grafton. Records show that in
1671 John Evelyn advised the then owner Lord Arlington about trees,
and consequently elms, limes and firs were amongst the trees planted
in the grounds. William Kent (in the 1730s) and Capability Brown (in
the 1760s) were amongst the next landscape designers to work here,
and you can still see evidence of Evelyn’s woodland rides, Kent’s
clusters of planted trees including beech and limes, and Brown’s
tree-lined walk from the house to the lake. Wyken Hall (TL9671),
set amongst mature trees, is best known today for its vineyard,
restaurant and gardens. The Elizabethan house was enlarged in the
17th century, whilst the garden was largely created by the present
owners, Sir Kenneth and Lady Carlisle. Look in particular for a
superb old English oak en route to the gazebo.
The house at Haughley Park (TM0061) was constructed for Sir
John Sulyard around 1620. It’s especially noteworthy because of its
ancient English oak tree, located on the edge of the north lawn.
With a girth of some nine metres, some think it could date back
almost 1,000 years, and not surprisingly one giant sideways limb is
propped to help its stability. Look too for fine avenues and a
wooded dell with old beeches and Scots pines. Thorndon Estate
(TM1071) is well-known now for its pleasant walks. Be sure to
look for the large number of ancient oak pollards as you explore the
estate. Shrubland (TM1252), home to Lord de Saumarez,
comprised a house, walled garden and deer-park in the 16th century.
James Paine designed a new house in the 1770s, and Repton was
subsequently brought in to enhance the landscape. In the late 1840s
architect Charles Barry altered the house and created a splendid
Italian garden. To the north of the house is Brownslow Terrace, and
here you’ll find some remarkable old sweet chestnut trees, which are
known to have delighted Repton. Look here too for a number of
ancient oak and beech trees. Christchurch Mansion (TM1644)
was the 16th century home of Paul Withipoll, built on the site of a
12th century Augustinian priory. Today it houses a museum. The
grounds have been a public park for over a century. The parkland is
well-wooded, and you’ll see some fine old trees.
Few approaches can rival the one to Helmingham Hall (TM1957),
owned by Lord and Lady Tollemache. The drive winds across a medieval
deer-park, dotted with red and fallow deer and some wonderful
ancient oak trees. With its moated house and flower gardens, the
parkland delivers a quite breathtaking vista. Campsea Ash Park
(TM3355) was once home to the Honorable W Lowther but the house
was demolished in the 1950s. Look here for the old yews around the
bowling green, a group of very old cedars, a particularly old yew
hedge flanking a canal and a re-planted lime avenue. Glemham Hall
(TM3459) was built in the early 18th century for the North
family. Prior to this, there’d been a grand Elizabethan house and a
Tudor park. The gardens and parkland today are largely based upon
ideas put forward by Repton in the 1790s. An old avenue of lime
trees to the south of the house which existed at that time survives
today. Some of these trees have girths of around 6 metres. Look as
well in the impressive parkland for a number of ancient oaks, some
of which are believed to date back to the 16th century or earlier. A
deer-park was recorded here in around 1560 but few details remain
today. The trunks of some of the largest oaks measure around 8.5
metres. Heveningham Hall (TM3573) was built by Sir Robert
Taylor and James Wyatt for Sir Gerald Vanneck in the late 18th
century. He consulted Capability Brown too about the landscaped
park, which his father had already created with a lake and
tree-lines much in the style of Brown. Huntingfield Hall was
purchased by Sir Joshua Vanneck in 1752 from the Earl of Leicester,
and it remained in his family until 2001, when it became part of the
Heveningham Estate. The beautiful parkland here dates back to the
Middle Ages, but is only accessible via a public footpath. It’s
famous though for one ancient tree, the Queen’s Oak, and happily the
path takes you to the right location. Why the Queen’s Oak? Well,
it’s claimed that Queen Elizabeth I shot a deer from this tree. In
fact, it’s much more likely that one of her entourage did so in her
presence! Incidentally, the village of Huntingfield is also
noteworthy for the large chestnut tree located on its green.
The Tudor house at Henham Hall (TM4578) had to be rebuilt for
Sir John Rous, the Earl of Stradbrooke, after a fire in the late
18th century. It was eventually demolished in the 1950s. Repton was
consulted about this estate too and evidence of parkland planting
from his plans exists today. Look here for a number of surviving
ancient oak pollards. Sotterley Park (TM4685) is thought to
date back to the Middle Ages. There are significant numbers of old
oak pollards, ash and elm in this fine parkland. Some of the oaks
have girths of more than 8 metres and were planted in a linear
fashion, suggesting that they may have been part of a hedge or were
boundary markers. They’re visible from public footpaths but access
is limited. Somerleyton Hall (TM4997) is renowned for its
Victorian gardens but there were gardens here in the 17th century
too when the Wentworth family owned this estate. Look for an avenue
of limes dating back to the early 18th century, and in W. A.
Nesfield’s gardens (commissioned by Sir Morton Peto in the 1840s)
you’ll find fine oaks, sweet chestnuts and cedars of Lebanon. The
family of Lord and Lady Somerleyton bought the estate a few years
later. Finally, Benacre Hall (TM5084), a splendid Grade II
listed building which has undergone recent renovations and
development, stands within a fine estate. The parkland hosts popular
attractions, including steam rallies, and it’s here that you’ll find
a small number of surviving ancient oak trees.
Let’s look now at some of the county’s finest woods. The Woodland
Trust cares for a very special wood, near Barking church, called
Priestley Wood (TM0853). This semi-natural ancient woodland is
believed to be part of a forest which covered most of East Anglia in
prehistoric times. Records date back to 1251 when it was referred to
as Prestele. Today it’s part of a larger SSSI and, with plenty of
evidence of centuries of coppicing, you’ll find huge ancient ash and
field maple stools, as well as fine oak standards. Look too for
hornbeam, wild pear and small-leaved lime trees, as well as
nettle-leaved bellflower, ramsons and broad-leaved helleborines at
ground level. Another ancient woodland site is Northfield Wood
(TM0260) near Onehouse. Used intensively for conifer planting
and harvesting over the last few decades, only a small proportion of
the wood is broad-leaved. Look out for a few oak and ash pollards
though, and for ancient indicators like wood spurge, oxlip and herb
paris, plus a variety of orchids. You’ll also find two interesting
ponds if you follow the main circular walk. Other WT locations of
interest include the small but valuable LNR at Pattles Fen
(TM1034), Porter’s Wood (TM2648) within the Suffolk Coast
and Heaths AONB and the new woodland at Pound Farm (TM3262).
The Suffolk Wildlife Trust also has a number of excellent woodland
locations on its books. The ancient woodland at Foxburrow Wood
(TL5395) provides a fine array of bluebells each spring. Sweet
chestnut, ash and oak dominate here, and you’ll find ponds and
ditches which are notable for their mauve water mint and yellow
marsh marigolds. Bull’s Wood (TL9254) is ancient woodland
with records dating back to 1279. Visit in April to see its oxlips,
wood anemones and other ancient woodland indicators. Spouse’s
Vale (TL9336) combines ancient woodland and fen meadow. There
are some impressively large alders here, as well as old hazel and
crab apple, and you’ll be treated to a superb display of bluebells
in spring. In winter look for feeding flocks of siskin and if you’re
lucky you might see roe deer. Bradfield Woods (TL9358) is one
of the UK’s finest ancient woodland sites and wildlife havens. Some
370 different plant species have been recorded here. It’s believed
that coppicing has taken place on this site since 1252. Look in
spring for early purple orchids and oxlips. Visit this designated
NNR in summer to listen and look for nightingales and garden
warblers, and to see a quite remarkable number of butterflies – 24
species in all! Keep a sharp eye open too for deer – muntjac, roe,
fallow and red – as you follow the waymarked trails. Groton Wood
(TL9742) is ancient woodland with areas of coppiced small-leaved
lime trees. Oak, hazel and ash are found in the southern end, which
dates back to the 17th century. Hawfinches are known to frequent the
wild cherry trees here, but you’ll need to venture out early in the
morning to see them! You’ll also find 22 ponds, some of which
shelter the protected great-crested newt. Look for violet
helleborine, woodruff and pignut.
Combs Wood (TM0556) is a SSSI and was probably part of a
prehistoric forest. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a wood
for pigs and is notable for its large perimeter banks, often found
in ancient woodland. The wood here was once linked to Combs Hall by
a formal garden. You’ll find moschatel, oxlips and greater butterfly
orchids. Bonny Wood (TM0752), another SSSI, dates back to a
least 1251. Queen Elizabeth I is understood to have bought the wood
in 1561, only for King James I to sell it again in 1611. It later
became part of the Ashburnham Estate. Coppicing was reintroduced
here in 1987, when SWT purchased the site. Oak, ash, field maple and
hazel dominate, and the ground flora includes woodruff, twayblades
and herb paris. Newbourne Springs (TM2743) is another SSSI
which comprises woodland, alder carr, ponds and reedbeds. Check out
the information centre housed in an old pumphouse. Captain’s Wood
(TM45) is the largest remaining part of an extensive area of
wood pasture not far from the coast. The 138-acre site combines
ancient woodland, grassland and heathland. There are several hundred
ancient oaks here, and new oaks are being planted from the acorns of
some of the oldest oak pollards. Reydon Wood (TM4778)
contains a number of features typical of medieval coppice woodland,
most notably the bank and ditch. You’ll find a large number of
impressive coppice stools too, many of which must be hundreds of
years old. If visiting in summer, watch out for butterflies
including ringlets and gatekeepers.
The RSPB’s Wolves Wood (TM0544) is well worth a visit. This
coppiced ancient woodland has no fewer than 46 ponds and is a
wonderful site for visiting songsters, including garden warblers,
whitethroats and nightingales. The wood is predominantly oak, field
maple and ash, and provides a good habitat for hawfinches. The
Forestry Commission also has several interesting locations: the vast
expanse of mixed woodland at Rendlesham Forest (TM3548), the
SSSI at Chillesford Wood (TM3751), another huge area of
woodland and commons at Tunstall Forest (TM3856) and
Dunwich Forest (TM4670), where you may be lucky enough to spot a
woodlark as you traverse the three-mile waymarked trail.
English Heritage looks after Bury St Edmonds Abbey (TL8564),
with a ruined Benedictine abbey church, a Norman tower and a 14th
century abbey gate. The precinct grounds were developed into a
public amenity with two splendid lime avenues in 1720. Look in the
Great Churchyard too for some fine trees lining the paths. EH is
also responsible for the 12th century Framlingham Castle (TM2863),
built by Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk. To the west of the castle is
Framlingham Mere, managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, where woodland
and shimmering waters combine to create a breathtakingly beautiful
landscape.
Finally, here’s one more excellent woodland location. Ipswich
Borough Council manages Bridge Wood in Orwell Country Park, a
SSSI site in a designated AONB. There are some superb oaks here,
dating back at least 400 years, and a noteworthy old sweet chestnut.
If you know of other ancient trees in Suffolk or if you wish to
suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on
Surrey, 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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