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Focus on Northamptonshire |
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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 Northamptonshire in the
Heart of England, which offers a snapshot of rural England at its
finest, magnificent stately homes, serene waterways, historic market
towns and glorious gardens. This is a county of real contrasts, with
its landscape and architecture influenced by the ancient Britons,
Saxons, Vikings and Normans who either lived here or travelled
through these parts many years ago. Today, from the peace and
tranquillity of traditional inns, thatched cottages and village
greens to the excitement and thrills of Silverstone and the
Rockingham Motor Speedway, there’s plenty of interest for the
visitor.
The county town of Northampton has a prominent place in English
history, dating back to the Norman Conquest in 1066. It’s been a
popular visiting place for royalty since the times of Henry I and
Richard II. Today, attractions include a shopping centre comprising
both old and modern buildings, a leading rugby union club, a balloon
festival, a street fair and heritage open days.
Another key location in the county is Kettering, a popular
destination for shoppers but also set in some of England’s most
unspoilt countryside. Traditional ironstone villages are sprinkled
across the area, with noteworthy properties including the 15th
century Boughton House, which was modelled on the palace at
Versailles and is home to the Duke of Buccleuch.
The area around Daventry is equally renowned for its wonderful
countryside and for its historic houses, such as Althorp (Princess
Diana’s last resting place), Canons Ashby, Cottesbrooke Hall,
Holdenby House and Lamport Hall. Both Cottesbrooke and the 17th
century Coton Manor boast fabulous gardens too.
Corby is known amongst other things for its popular boating lake and
for nearby Rockingham Castle, which was built on the orders of
William the Conqueror and which provided the setting for the BBC's
Civil War series "By The Sword Divided".
Other attractions in Northamptonshire include the Grand Union Canal;
a fine array of museums, such as the Earls Barton Museum of Village
Life; a mixture of family fun and natural habitats at Weldon
Woodland Park; and five excellent country parks (Barnwell, Brixworth,
Fermyn Woods, Irchester and Sywell) managed by the county council.
Lastly, do find time whilst visiting the east and south of the
county to check out the splendid villages and churches, the
interesting and unusual craft shops and galleries, and of course the
wonderful countryside through which the River Nene meanders.
So, where are those top locations for ancient trees and those
terrific treescapes in the county of Northamptonshire?
Firstly, to the south of the county, you’ll find two former royal
deer forests, Whittlewood and Salcey. These forests have shrunk
considerably from the days when oak was harvested here to build some
of England’s finest ships, known as the Hearts of Oak.
Salcey Forest (SP8051) was traditionally managed as coppice
and today is one of the largest remaining ancient woodlands in the
county. Here, along the way-marked trails, you can see medieval
coppice boundary banks, as well as a number of ancient oaks, some of
which are believed to be over 500 years old.
The Royal Forest of Whittlewood today comprises ancient woodland and
traditional stone-built villages standing to the west of
Silverstone, together with remnants scattered across the county to
Milton Keynes. A number of ancient oaks and ash trees are to be
found at Whittlebury Deer Park (SP7043). This estate was
originally part of the Whittlewood forest but was cleared in the
early 19th century by Lord Southampton. At the turn of the 20th
century a golf course was created on the estate, and in the early
1990s the park was once again opened up to golfers after an 80-year
break. The (now reconstructed) original golf course runs between the
lakes and some magnificent ancient oaks, whilst a second course uses
two of the last remaining copses from the ancient forest.
Althorp Park (SP6865) is also home to a number of splendid
ancient oaks. Althorp, located seven miles west of Northampton and
home to the Spencer family for around 500 years, is probably best
known because of the late Princess of Wales. The house, which
includes outstanding collections of paintings, ceramics and
furniture, is set in 55 acres of undulating parkland.
On a hill previously occupied by Iron Age, Roman and Saxon tribes,
Rockingham Castle towers above the picturesque village of
Rockingham. Because of its location in the heart of the hunting
grounds of Rockingham Forest, it was a popular retreat for royalty
in medieval times and for Charles Dickens some time later. Views
from the castle extend across the Welland Valley and over at least
four counties. Rockingham Castle Park (SP8691), which is
believed to date to the 13th century, boasts over 200 species of
trees and shrubs, many of which are rare. In this superb parkland
you will note a number of fine examples of veteran trees.
The Forestry Commission is now responsible for much of what remains
of the Royal Forest of Rockingham (SP9898) near to Corby.
This area has been at the centre of its Ancient Woodland Project,
which is intended to convert sites back to native broadleaf
woodland. Once a medieval hunting forest, today this forest
encompasses ancient woodlands, open agricultural lands and historic
forest villages. At one time this forest covered nearly all of the
north-eastern part of the county between the rivers Nene and Welland.
The county has a number of other Forestry Commission sites of
particular interest, several of which have also been part of the
Ancient Woodland Project. Around 120 ancient trees, including
several fine specimens of ash, remain at Yardley Chase (SP8554),
which was once a medieval deer park and which is now partly owned by
the Ministry of Defence. The historic, ancient woodland at
Wakerley Great Wood (SP9698) is currently dominated by larch.
The way-marked walk here follows the medieval boundary of a 13th
century deer park, and the archaeological value of the site is
highlighted by two extremely rare Bronze-Age cairns. Fineshade
Wood (SP9798) near Corby was part of the Rockingham Forest and
is an ancient mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland, which was
coppiced for many centuries for charcoal-making; you may well notice
the remnants of its coppice banks, as you stroll along the
way-marked paths. The Red Kite Visitor Centre here provides
additional interest, highlighting one of England’s most successful
projects to reintroduce this beautiful bird of prey. Lastly, at
Morehay Lawn Oaks (TL0093) around 20 ancient oaks survive.
English Nature (EN) has several particularly interesting locations
on its records, but check first as they are typically accessible by
permit only. The National Nature Reserve (NNR) of Castor
Hanglands (TF1101) and Ailsworth Heath is considered to be one
of the most important nature reserves in England, with its
grassland, ponds, scrub and ancient woodland. This covers what
remains of the historic hunting forest of Nassaburgh, which
dominated this area for over 1,000 years. Many large trees were
felled for timber around 40 years ago, but native trees have been
allowed to re-grow. The 250-acre reserve is mainly oak, with birch
and hazel prominent too, and you may spot a wild service tree too.
Known locally as a good place for a fungi foray, if you’re lucky you
may also see the fallow deer which reside here.
EN also manages Collyweston Great Wood and Easton Hornstocks,
another Northamptonshire NNR and a remnant of the ancient Rockingham
Forest. This is the largest surviving example of ancient
semi-natural woodland in the county, covering some 155 hectares, and
is particularly important for its small-leaved lime trees, beetles
and moths. Collyweston Great Wood can also be accessed from
Lincolnshire. Buckingham Thick Copse, near Whittlebury, is
another NNR and is part of the ancient Whittlewood Forest. This
large area of oak and ash woodland supports a number of veteran
trees, as well as some scarce woodland butterflies. Lastly, there’s
Lings Wood (SP8687), a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) near to
Corby.
The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Northamptonshire and Peterborough (BCNP for short!) manages a number
of interesting sites; top choices are King’s Wood near Corby and
Short Wood near Oundle.
Look out in King’s Wood (SP8687) for some fine examples of
ancient oak, beech, rowan and cherry trees, as well as crab apple,
field maple and guelder rose. Thanks to some eccentric 19th century
planting, you may also find turkey oak, snowberry and wellingtonia
within this LNR, the first such designation in the county. This
woodland was managed for centuries as Crown coppice, providing
under-wood and timber, as well as shelter for the royal herd of
deer. Ancient indicators are to be found in the flora, with
enchanter’s nightshade, yellow archangel and wood anemone prominent.
Short Wood (TL0191) is known for being one of the finest
bluebell woods in the county, and a variety of orchids are present
too. According to a map dating from the 17th century, this actually
used to comprise four distinct woods – Short Wood, Dodhouse Wood,
Cockshutt Close and Hall Wood. The ridge and furrow made by ancient
ploughing is still visible in Dodhouse Wood, whilst coppicing is
evident throughout. Two large areas of Short Wood include coppiced
elm of a type which is only found in the East Midlands and which is
believed to be the oldest known example.
Other sites managed by the Wildlife Trust for BCNP include: Lings
Wood (SP8063), which was common heath land in the 16th century,
became deciduous woodland by the end of the 19th century and was
subsequently changed in part to a conifer plantation; Stoke Wood
End Quarter (SP8086), which is part of a larger Site of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is rich in fauna and ground flora;
Barford Wood (SP8582), which includes a hay meadow designated as
a SSSI and which covers part of what was once the Rockingham Forest;
Twywell Gullet (SP9477), a SSSI which is owned partly by East
Northamptonshire Council and partly by the Woodland Trust, and which
is managed jointly with the Woodland Trust and the Rockingham Forest
Trust; and Southwick Wood (TL0291) which was once dominated
by elm but ash, oak, wild cherry and field maple are now most
common, with a small areas of elderly wild service trees.
As well as Twywell Gullet, the Woodland Trust also owns Everdon
Stubbs (SP6056), a popular local beauty spot, situated on a low
hill overlooking surrounding countryside. This 72-acre site
comprises Everdon Stubbs to the south and Everdon Wood to the north,
separated by a ditch and bank. This woodland dates back to medieval
times and includes a number of ancient overgrown chestnut coppice
stools. You’ll also find here a number of ancient and veteran beech
and oak trees, together with fine specimens of cherry and rowan. The
remains of a ridge and furrow field system are also present,
although they’re not easy to spot. Stoke Wood (SP8086) – a
remnant of the ancient Rockingham Forest and once part of the
Rockingham Estate - has been coppiced almost continually throughout
the ages and is a designated SSSI. It’s noted for its dormouse
population, which thrive on the abundant hazelnut crop, as well as
for its unusual plants (for this region) such as wood speedwell and
the nettle-leaved bellflower.
Finally, two other Northamptonshire locations for you to consider:
Fermyn Woods Country Park, a mixture of scrub, meadows, ponds
and woodland, located at the heart of the medieval Rockingham Forest
near Brigstock; and East Carlton Park, a family attraction
near Corby, comprising 100 acres of mature woodland and open
grasslands, set on the edge of the beautiful Welland Valley.
If you know of other ancient trees in Northamptonshire or if you
wish to suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus
on Bedfordshire, 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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