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 Essex, the ancient county of the East Saxons, located in the south east of England and just to the north-east of London. The county’s landscape flows from some wonderful undulating countryside, taking in historic market towns and picturesque villages, to the North Sea coast. Essex is largely rural; one of nature’s wonders perhaps that the meadows, woods and gardens here manage to provide a quite dazzling array of colours, despite enduring the driest climate in the UK. The county’s coastline is special too; it’s the longest stretch in the UK. No wonder then that Essex inspired Tennyson, Betjeman and Constable.

For those who are interested in history, there’s a fascinating heritage to be explored here. Colchester, the oldest recorded town in the UK, boasts a fine castle and museum; the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England can be found at Layer Marney Tower; then there’s the splendid 12th century Norman keep at Hedingham Castle, where Queen Elizabeth I was a visitor; and some of the finest Byzantine frescoes around are located at Copford Church.
 
For those who like to take in the sea air, then there are piers, seafronts and harbours, not to mention the undisturbed shores and estuaries, Southend-on-Sea has the world’s longest pier; Clacton and Walton are popular seaside resorts, offering summer arts trails, music festivals and an air show to complement their more obvious attractions; Frinton-on-Sea is famous for its antique and curiosity shops; Leigh-on-Sea is equally well-known for its cockle boats; and Maldon is renowned for its crystal sea salt. Incidentally, if you fancy a trip on a Thames sailing barge, then the Hythe Quay in Maldon is the place to go.

For those who enjoy the beauty and splendour of English gardens, then Essex has some magical experiences on offer. Marvel at the flourishing dry garden and borders at the RHS garden at Hyde Hall; take in the impressive Capability Brown gardens, organic kitchen farm and Jacobean estate at Audley End; check out Beth Chatto’s informal gardens near Colchester; and wonder at the shape and form of plants and sculptures at Sir Frederick Gibberd’s garden at Harlow.

For those who feel energetic, whether on foot, bike or horse, there’s plenty of opportunity to get out and about. Look out for some truly wonderful views over the ancient wooded slopes, river valleys and coastal waters. There’s always a welcoming inn or pub in the next village too, offering hospitality and food in generous quantities. The White Hart in Great Yeldham has been ranked in the UK’s top 20, achieving two rosettes in the Which guide.

Lastly, for those who enjoy a shopping experience, there’s always the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, with Chelmsford, Southend and Colchester to name but three, and of course an hour’s drive will take you into London. The popular Lakeside shopping centre provides an all weather experience with some 300 or so shops, but don’t disregard smaller places like Halstead and Saffron Walden, and if antiques are your thing, then picturesque Battlesbridge, one of the UK’s leading centres for antiques, has more than 80 dealers in one place!

So, let’s turn now to ancient trees, ancient woodland and stunning treescapes. Where are they to be found in Essex? Well, just over 5% of the county is classed as being woodland cover, below average for the region, but there’s plenty of good news too. In 2002 the Regional Inventory of Woodlands and Trees for Essex reported that woodland cover had actually increased by 27% since 1980, that 80% of the county’s woodland was broadleaved and 8% was mixed. The biggest increase since 1980 was in broadleaved cover. Particularly noteworthy is the amount of ancient woodland in the county and specifically the number of ancient and veteran trees which remain.

Epping Forest (TQ49) is undoubtedly the place to start. In 1130 Henry I designated a vast wooded area as the Royal Forest of Essex. Less than 200 years later, Edward I broke the forest up into smaller royal forests, but in the mid 17th century, the forest still covered an impressive 60,000 acres. The 19th century changed all that, as the 1851 Act resulted in thousands of acres of forest being turned into farmland. Today Epping is managed by the Corporation of London, and at more than 5,600 acres it’s the largest open space in the London area. A significant part of this medieval forest is a designated SSSI. You’ll find two listed buildings, Queen Elizabeth’s hunting lodge and the Temple, together with 50 types of tree, 1,500 species of fungi and more than 500 types of endangered or rare insects. Incredibly around 10,000 ancient pollards survive in the forest - oak, hornbeam, beech, field maple, ash, willow, elm, sweet chestnut and wild service.

Secured in 1903 as an open public space, Hainault Forest (TQ4894) still boasts more than 6,000 hornbeam pollards. The famous Fairlop Oak stood in the midst of a clearing for many years, and an annual fair took place here too for 175 years, coming to a sad end in 1900. To the eastern edge you’ll find boundary stones believed to date back to its medieval origins. Today the forest is split into three. The 300-plus acres of ancient woodland in Essex are now managed by the Woodland Trust, whilst a golf course lies in the Havering section and the Redbridge portion has been developed as a country park, managed by the local authority and the Woodland Trust. Designated a SSSI, the forest is one of the country’s top insect sites, with 7 endangered species and 79 scarce species recorded here.
 
The area at Hainault Lodge is now a designated local nature reserve. This relic of Hainault Forest contains standard oaks and hornbeam pollards. The lodge, which once housed officers from RAF Fairlop, was demolished more than 30 years ago. Remnants of the gardens and orchards still remain, with the latter being particularly noteworthy for a superb black mulberry. There’s a lovely nature trail here, and fine views onto the London skyline are possible on a clear day. If you’re lucky, you might spot a yellow-necked mouse here. Look too for bluebells, wild service trees, butchers broom and purple hairstreaks.

There are literally hundreds of veteran pollarded hornbeams too at Chigwell Row Wood (TQ4692), a designated Local Nature Reserve. Following the destruction of the forest over some the preceding 50 years, this was the only significant part of the forest remaining to the west side of the Romford Road at the turn of the 20th century. In addition to more than 200 hornbeam pollards, 45 veteran oak trees were noted here in 2001. The following year more than 100 species of beetle were recorded, including two described as being new to science.

How can one follow all this? Easily! There’s outstanding ancient woodland too at Hatfield Forest (TL5420), a designated SSSI and National Nature Reserve, managed by the National Trust. It boasts more than 880 ancient trees, with superb pollarded hornbeams and oaks. There are wonderful walks and nature trails in what was once a small, medieval royal hunting forest. It spans across West Essex into Hertfordshire and encompasses open grassland, coppiced woodland and marshland. The lake’s popular for fishing, and you’ll find cattle and sheep grazing. Unusual plants and flowers can be spotted too. Look out in particular for oxlip, stinking hellebore, bog pimpernel, broad blysmus, bee and pyramidal orchids, adders-tongue ferns and mistletoe. The National Trust also cares for the SSSI at Blake’s Wood (TL7706) and for Danbury Common (TL7804), an open heathland common. The edges of the common are especially notable for their pollarded oaks.

Now, here are some interesting woodland locations in Essex managed by local authorities. The county council’s Belhus Woods Country Park was once an historic estate and parkland. Here you’ll find woodland, grassland and lakes. Visit in spring for a great display of bluebells in the woods. Danbury Country Park (TL7705) was formed out of the deer-park, woodland, grassland and ornamental lakeside gardens of Danbury Palace. The county council manages this lovely location too, and you’ll find a number of ancient pollarded hornbeams here, plus a few oak, sweet chestnut, beech, hawthorn and sycamore trees. The network of paths at Grove Woods is managed by Richford District Council. High Woods comprises some 330 acres of woodland, grassland and wetland, and there’s a very pleasant circular walk. The 280-acre expanse of ancient woodland at Hockley Woods (TQ8392) near Rochford has been restored by the District Council with assistance from the Forestry Commission. New native woodland has been planted too, benefiting butterflies such as the Heath Fritillary. These woods are believed to be the largest remaining area of wild wood in the county, dating back more than 10,000 years to the Ice Age. There are some very large oaks here, and keep watch for wild service trees, cow-wheat and wood spurge too.

Kingsley Wood, managed by the local council, is the only surviving ancient woodland in the Rayleigh area. The 400 acres managed by the county council at Langdon Hills Country Park lie adjacent to the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Langdon Reserve (TQ6587) and incorporates ancient woodland which reputedly dates back to prehistoric times. This is another fine location to visit in spring if you enjoy bluebells and other wild flowers. There are fine views too over the Thames estuary and across the London skyline. There are some excellent trails at Norsey Wood (TQ6895), a designated Local Nature Reserve managed by the Basildon District Council. This ancient woodland, which has been coppiced using traditional methods, includes a scheduled ancient monument. Thorndon Country Park (TQ6091) is the site of a medieval deer-park and includes Hartswood. Here you’ll find a few remaining ancient oak and hornbeam pollards as you explore the woodland, parkland and commons managed by the county council. The countryside centre here is managed jointly with Essex Wildlife Trust. Weald Country Park (TQ5794) was another deer-park in the Middle Ages; in fact in the 11th century it was used for hunting by the Abbots of Waltham. Once there was a great hall here with formal gardens. Further back in time there was an Iron Age settlement. Today, deer still graze in areas of the 500-acre parkland. Look for the few surviving ancient oaks and hornbeams, and enjoy the fascinating visitor centre.

The Essex Wildlife Trust also manages a number of other interesting locations. Gernon Bushes (TL4703) is known for its old, gnarled and twisted hornbeam pollards. This woodland’s pretty damp, so keep an eye open for marsh ferns, bog bean and marsh valerian in the wetter areas. Shadwell Wood (TL5741) is a designated SSSI with oak and ash standards. Look for midland hawthorns, bird cherry and lineage elm. Wild daphne can be found here, along with oxlips, wood violets, orchids and herb paris. West Wood (TL6233) is another designated SSSI, known locally for its greater butterfly orchids, wood barley and impressive pendulous sedge. The woodland at Sandylay and Moat Woods (TL7317) contains a large number of small-leaved lime trees, including one in Sandylay of significant age and size. The Danbury Ridge Complex (TL7706) encompasses around 250 acres including woodland, common, heath, bogs and farmland. The woodland here includes Pheasanthouse Wood with acres of lily of the valley; Scrubs Wood with hornbeam and sweet chestnut coppice; and Spring Wood with dormice, hawfinches and ringlet butterflies. Thrift Wood (TL7901) is ancient woodland of hornbeam coppice and oak standards. Look here for the heath fritillary, slender St John’s wort and heath woodrush. Home to the dormouse, Westhouse Wood (TL9727) is a small wood with crab apples trees near Colchester.

Weeleyhall Wood (TM1521) is a fine wood with standard oaks, sweet chestnut coppice and alder glades. Visit here for a great display of bluebells. Warley Place (TQ5890) is the site of a former house and gardens. Located here is a line of huge sweet chestnuts, thought to have been planted by the diarist John Evelyn in the mid 17th century. Hanningfield Reservoir (TQ7297) includes 100 acres of woodland, including the ancient woodland at Well Wood and Hawk’s Wood. Watch out here for some notable large oak standards. Crowsheath Wood (TQ7296) is ancient coppice woodland with many mature oak trees. You may spot ragged robin, pignut and lesser spearwort too. The ancient woodland of Pound Wood (TQ8188) is especially good for hornbeam, sweet chestnut and wild service trees. Medieval woodbanks are clearly visible, and you may find wood spurge, common cow-wheat and yellow archangel. Little Haven (TQ8188) comprises two woods, a sweet chestnut plantation called Starvelarks Wood and ancient alder woodland called Wyburns Wood. Lastly, Bedfords Park contains a number of impressive and unusual specimen trees, including cedar of Lebanon, giant redwood and holm oak.

In addition to Hainault Forest (TQ4793), the Woodland Trust has a number of other interesting locations on its books. The semi-natural ancient woodland of Hoe Wood (TL9026) near Aldham includes mature oak standards and an unusual number of wild service trees, plus hornbeam, ash, sweet chestnut and hazel coppice. Both the ponds and the ditches are thought to date from the Middle Ages. The traditional chestnut coppice woodland at Stour Wood (TM1831) is part of a SSSI, the only location in the county where woodland naturally gives way to saltmarsh. Look in the woods for herb paris, sweet woodrush and early purple orchid, and on the saltmarsh and mudflats (managed by the RSPB) for redshanks, dunlins and godwits. The Mores (TQ5696) near Brentwood is a mixture of common, semi natural ancient woodland and secondary woodland. Visit for a good array of flowers in spring or fungi in autumn. The Old Park (TQ6290) at Hatch Farm lies within the Thames Chase and is adjacent to Thorndon Country Park. The landscape here has evolved over many centuries. It was once a medieval deer-park and then a Capability Brown creation. Look at the edge of the woodland for a small number of surviving ancient oaks and for some unusual tree species within Rookery Wood. The coppiced slopes of Swan Wood (TQ6899) have ancient origins, whilst newer woodland has been planted more or less on all sides. Visit in spring for a great display of bluebells, and look too for the old woodbanks and for the medieval boundary, which was apparently located one arrow’s length from the road so that travellers couldn’t be easily ambushed from within the wood by highwaymen!

Now, let’s turn our attention elsewhere. There’s a number of old houses and estates in Essex which are particularly worthy of mention. Now managed by Chelmsford Borough Council, the grade II listed 18th century neo-classical style building at Hylands House at Widford is set in 600 acres of parkland. The house was originally a red brick Queen Anne style mansion but a number of extensions and changes have taken place over the years. The interior’s well known for its Georgian and Victorian features. Much of the estate – once located within or adjacent to the ancient Writtle Forest - was designed by Humphrey Repton, and it comprises ancient woodland, grassland, lakes, ponds and gardens. Look here for some fine old trees, especially oaks.

The landscape at Audley End House has changed many times over the years. It was once part of the medieval estate of an abbey, which was subsequently converted into a house and then replaced by a huge mansion. The house today is just one part of that building. The first Earl of Suffolk, Thomas Howard, created a formal garden with alleys, ponds and long avenues of trees. Sir John Griffin took ownership in the 18th century and, with the help of Capability Brown, transformed the formal gardens into the magnificent parkland which remains today under the stewardship of English Heritage. Look here for some fine old trees, the woodland grove (Elysian Garden) and also for the unusual Howard Oak, a unique hybrid with extra large leaves.

The country house at Easton Lodge dates back to the late 16th century. Prior to this, the grounds belonged to a royal hunting lodge, a medieval manor house. In the early 17th century a park was created with avenues of trees for hunt spectators. The Italianate gardens were designed in the early 20th century by Harold Peto for the Countess of Warwick, known as Darling Daisy, the mistress to Edward VII. In Word War II the US Airforce replaced the park with airstrips, destroying an estimated 10,000 trees in the process. In the 1950s respected arboriculturalist Maynard Greville began to create an arboretum. On his death in 1960 the estate was sold and became wild. Restoration has been taking place more recently, and visitors will find plenty of work taking place. Look here for some fine oaks and field maples. Peto’s yew walk and lime avenue, now pretty much a wood, have survived, as have the remains of Daisy’s Tree House built in an oak tree believed to be 500 years old. You’ll also find a ring of beech trees dating back some 150 years, and look near the lawn for a 300-year old cedar tree.

The 14th century lath and plaster building of Feeringbury Manor is surrounded by open gardens and includes an arboretum. At the garden entrance you’ll find an ancient yew tree, to the left of the house. Horkesley Hall, a classical house, has lovely open gardens, as well as areas of grassland and woodland.

There are a number of other open gardens in Essex, which merit a mention here too. Firstly, there’s Shrubs Farm near Lamarsh, which has gardens plus some 50 acres of parkland and meadows. The latter are excellent for wild flowers. Ancient coppice and pollarded trees are found in the woodland, together with reputedly the largest goat willow in England. Over 50 species of oak have been planted in the grounds too over the last three decades. Additionally, there’s Barnard’s Farm at West Horndon which has an arboretum and woodland; Green Island at Ardleigh which is situated in 19 acres of woodland and offers some lovely walks; Olivers near Colchester which is a peaceful wooded garden with fine specimen trees looking out onto the river valley; Saling Hall near Braintree which has a 12-acre garden with many rare trees; and Writtle College which has a large mature tree collection and landscaped gardens;

Lastly, but by no means least, take a look at Markshall Park (TL8426) near Coggeshall, where you’ll delight in a handful of huge, hollow oak trees.

If you know of other ancient trees in Essex or if you wish to suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on Hampshire, 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!