List of ancient woods in England

This list of ancient woods in England contains areas of ancient woodland in England larger than ten hectares. The list is arranged alphabetically by ceremonial county.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

B

Bedfordshire

Hanger Wood

King's and Baker's Woods

Kingswood, Houghton Conquest

Maulden Wood

Odell Great Wood

Potton Wood

Southill Woods

Swineshead Wood

Bedfordshire ancient woods

The woodlands of Bedfordshire cover 6.2% of the county. Some two thirds of this (4,990ha) is broadleaved woodland, principally oak and ash. A woodland Trust estimate of all ancient woodland in Bedfordshire (dating back to at least the year 1600), including woods of 0.1ha and upward suggests an area of 1468ha. This list of Bedfordshire's ancient woodland shows only those woods of over 10ha, all of which have SSSI status, and cover a total of 628ha. Of the eight woods shown, five fall roughly on the line of heavily wooded sandstone that runs diagonally across the county south of Bedford.

Neighbouring counties

Northants.	Northants. Cambs.	Cambs.
Bucks.	Bedfordshire.	Cambs. Herts.
Bucks.	Herts.	Herts.

The principal Ancient Woods in Bedfordshire

No.	Name	Public Access	Location	Area		References
				Ha	Acres
1	Hanger Wood	N	SP 995494	24	59	SSSI
2	King's and Baker's Woods	Y	SP 923295	212	524	SSSI NNR BNCPWT
3	Kingswood, Houghton Conquest	Y	TL 045402	26	64	SSSI Local Gov
4	Maulden Wood	Y	TL 170390	149	368	SSSI FC
5	Odell Great Wood	Y	SP 958590	86	212	SSSI Local Gov
6	Potton Wood	Y	TL 252502	85	210	SSSI FC
7	Southill Lake And Woods	N	TL 141428	25	62	SSSI
8	Swineshead Wood	Y	TL 061668	21	52	SSSI WT

Berkshire

Track through Windsor Forest

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Berkshire ancient woods

Berkshire has woodland covering 18,304ha, which is 14.5% of its land area. The woodlands listed below are all ancient woods of 10ha or more, and these cover some 2,403ha. A major proportion of the area is the area of woodland along the Surrey and Buckinghamshire borders. This is Windsor Great Park and Forest, and as well as the woodland area listed here, it has vast tracts of heath and parkland. Also in the east of the county are woodlands on the southern end of the Chiltern Hills. The great majority of the woods listed are in West Berkshire and follow the line of the chalk hills across the county.

Neighbouring counties

Wilts.	Oxen. Bucks.	Bucks.
Wilts.	Berkshire.	London.
Wilts.	Hants.	Surrey

The principal Ancient Woods in Berkshire

No.	Name	Public Access	Location	Area		References
				Ha	Acres
1	Ashridge Wood		SU500784	16	40	SSSI
2	Bisham Woods	Y	SU856850	84	208	SSSI WT
3	Bowdown and Chamberhouse Woods	Y	SU509654	67	166	SSSI BBOWT
4	Catmore And Winterly Copses		SU375659	25	62	SSSI
5	Combe Wood And Linkenholt Hanging		SU357576	108	267	SSSI
6	Coombe Wood, Frilsham		SU545735	20	49	SSSI
7	Enborne Copse		SU433661	12	30	SSSI
8	Great Thrift Wood		SU871782	14	35	SSSI
9	Irish Hill Copse		SU405670	16	40	SSSI
10	Kennet Valley Alderwoods		SU400675	55	136	SSSI
11	King's Copse		SU577706	14	35	SSSI
12	Redhill Wood		SU423646	30	74	SSSI
13	Snelsmore Common	Y	SU460710	103	255	SSSI Local Gov
14	Windsor Forest And Great Park	Y	SU940730	1777	4391	SSSI Crown Estate

City of Bristol

Avon Gorge

Ancient woods in the City of Bristol

Neighbouring counties

Estuary	Glocs.	Glocs.
Somerset	City of Bristol	Glocs.
Somerset	Somerset	Somerset

There is only one sizeable area of Ancient Woodland within Bristol. The Avon Gorge SSSI is partly within the city boundary, but the woodland is mainly in Somerset, so is covered under that county.

Buckinghamshire

Druids Oak, the oldest tree in Burnham Beeches

Entrance to Bernwood Forest

9.4% of the land area of Buckinghamshire is Woodland.

• Bernwood Forest
• Burnham Beeches
• Hollington Wood

C

Cambridgeshire

Entrance to Monks Wood, Cambridgeshire

The ancient woods listed here are those over 10 ha. With one exception, these are all SSSIs. The woods are distributed very unevenly. Large areas of the fenland in the north-eastern side of the county have none. There are significant numbers in the south, toward Suffolk. More of the woods are found in the western half of the county, with three near Peterborough.

Ancient Woods in Cambridgeshire

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Cambridgeshire ancient woods

Path through Buff Wood, Cambridgeshire

The principal Ancient Woods in Cambridgeshire

No.	Name	Public Access	Location & map links	Area		References
				Ha	Acres
1	Aversley Wood	Y	TL163820	61	151	SSSI WT
2	Balsham Wood		TL589496	35	85	SSSI
3	Bedford Purlieus NNR	Y	TL042995	208	514	SSSI NNR FC
4	Brampton Wood	Y	TL180702	132	326	SSSI BCNPWT
5	Buff Wood	Y	TL283503	16	39	SSSI BCNPWT
6	Carlton Wood		TL654530	10	25	SSSI
7	Gamlingay Wood	Y	TL242535	46	114	SSSI BCNPWT
8	Hardwick Wood	Y	TL354575	17	42	SSSI BCNPWT
9	Hayley Wood	Y	TL291529	52	129	SSSI BCNPWT
10	Kingston Wood and Outliers		TL325540	49	121	SSSI
11	Langley Wood		TL607424	31	77	SSSI
12	Little Paxton Wood		TL170635	45	111	SSSI
13	Madingley Wood		TL401596	15	38	SSSI
14	Monks Wood NNR		TL200800	170	420	SSSI NNR
15	Out and Plunder Woods		TL660549	28	69	SSSI
16	Over and Lawn Woods		TL636484	45	111	SSSI
17	Perry Woods		TL135665	67	165	SSSI
18	Ten Wood		TL664558	17	42	SSSI
19	Thorpe Wood	Y	TL159986	12	28	SSSI BCNPWT
20	Warboy's And Wistow Woods		TL301819	42	103	SSSI
21	Waresley Wood		T 262548	62	153	SSSI
22	Weaveley and Sand Woods		TL226542	76	188	SSSI
23	West Abbot's and Lound Woods		TF060012	51	126	SSSI

Cheshire

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Cheshire ancient woods

Cheshire has some 4% of its area under woodland - around half the national average. Since 1994 the Mersey Community Forest has been promoting new woodland planting within the Merseyside and Cheshire region to alleviate this deficit, and also better manage the existing woodland to secure its future. Cheshire has less ancient woodland, and in smaller units than most counties. Many of the ancient woodlands survive in steep valleys or cloughs, of small extent. Taylor's Rough, Wellmeadow Wood, Warburton's Wood And Well Wood are examples of clough woodland too small for inclusion in this list. Most of the ancient woodland in the county is in units smaller than 10 ha and 65% of the area is in woods smaller than 5 ha. The list below is of ancient woodland larger than 10 ha.

Some of the principal Ancient Woods in Cheshire

No.	Woodland	Public access	Grid ref. & map link	Area (ha)	Citation website
1	Peckforton Woods	Yes	SJ 523577	54 ha	SSSI
2	Roe Park Woods	Yes	SJ 860585	34.6 ha	SSSI Wildlife Trust
3	Wettenhall and Darnhall Woods		SJ 640624	52.6 ha	SSSI
4	Wimboldsley Wood		SJ 675642	19 ha	SSSI

City of London

No Ancient Woodland remains in the City of London although the City of London Corporation are directly responsible for large areas of woodland elsewhere, notably Epping Forest (Essex), Highgate Wood (Greater London) and Burnham Beeches (Bucks)

Cornwall

Old oak wood near Goodern Manor Farm, Cornwall

The county of Cornwall has woodland representing 7.5% of the Land Area.

Cumbria

Footpath in Whinfell Forest, Cumbria

9.5% of the land area of Cumbria is woodland.

• Whinfell Forest

D

Devon

• Wistman's Wood

Dorset

• Duncliffe Wood
• Holt Heath
• Powerstock Common
• Thorncombe woods

Durham

• Brignall Banks SSSI
• Castle Eden Dene NNR
• Hawthorn Dene SSSI
• Hesleden Dene
• Deepdale Wood
• Pontburn Wood
• Derwent Gorge NNR

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East Sussex

16.7% of the land area of East Sussex is woodland.

Essex

• Epping Forest
• Hadleigh Woods
• Hockley Woods
• Hatfield Forest
• Nevendon Bushes

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Gloucestershire

11.2% of the land area of Gloucestershire is woodland.

• Forest of Dean
• Lower Woods

Greater London

• Bluebell Wood
• Cherry Tree Wood
• Coldfall Wood
• Highgate Wood
• Oxleas Wood
• Queen's Wood
• Great North Wood
• Scratchwood

Greater Manchester

Kersal Landslide

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Hampshire

17.7% of the Land Area of Hampshire is woodland.

• New Forest

Hertfordshire

9.5% of Hertfordshire's land area is woodland. Birchanger Wood, near Bishop's Stortford Whippendell Wood, 160 acres, Watford

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Isle of Wight

• Brading Wood, part of the Brading Marshes RSPB reserve
• Parkhurst Forest

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Kent

10.6% of Kent's land area is wooded.

• Bedgebury Forest
• Barrows Wood, Trundle Wood and High Wood around Wormshill

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Lancashire

• Boilton, Nab, Red Scar & Tun Brook woods, Preston

Leicestershire

Bluebells in the Outwoods, Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire

It is estimated that 2% of Leicestershire's land area is ancient woodland, of which half has been replaced by new plantings in recent times. There are over 100 woods in Leicestershire believed to be ancient. The sites listed below are those over 10ha in size, and with one exception, all have SSSI status. With one group of woods near Hinckley, in the south-west, the remainder fall into three broad areas. In East Leicestershire, close to the border with Rutland, are the woods near Leighfield Forest, an extensive Royal Forest which straddled the two counties. North west of Leicester are the woods of Charnwood Forest. Further west are the woods of the coal measures toward the border with Derbyshire.

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Leicestershire ancient woods

Neighbouring counties

Derbys.	Notts.	Lincs.
Staffs. Warks.	Leicestershire.	Rutland
Warks.	Northants.	Northants.

Launde Big Wood, Leicestershire, with Launde Wood Farm in the foreground

Some of the principal Ancient Woods in Leicestershire

No.	Woodland	Public access	Location	Area	Designation
1	Allexton Wood	No	SP 821994	26 ha (64 acres)	SSSI
2	Buddon Wood, Quorn	No	SK560145	45 ha (111 acres)	SSSI
3	Burbage and Sheepy Woods	Yes	SP 453941	52 ha (128 acres)	SSSI Local Gov.
4	Cloud Wood, Breedon	Yes	SK 417214	35 ha (86 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust.
5	Dimminsdale	Yes	SK 377 218	16 ha (40 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust
6	Eye Brook Valley Woods	Yes (part)	SP 834962	68 ha (168 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust
7	Grace Dieu Wood		SK437170	52 ha (128 acres)	SSSI
8	Hangingstone and Out Woods	Yes (part)	SK 512165	88 ha (217 acres)	SSSI Local Gov.
9	Launde Big Wood and Launde Park Wood	Yes	SK 787038	80 ha (198 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust
10	Martinshaw Wood	Yes	SK510072	103 ha (255 acres)	Woodland Trust
11	Owston Woods		SK 790065	141 ha (348 acres)	SSSI
12	Pasture and Asplin Woods, Breedon		SK 426216	42 ha (104 acres)	SSSI
13	Skeffington and Tilton Woods (Leighfield Forest)		SK 767027	153 ha (378 acres)	SSSI
14	Swithland Wood	Yes	SK 539125	75 ha (185 acres)	SSSI

Lincolnshire

• Bradley Woods, Grimsby
• Stapleford Woods, Stapleford, North Kesteven
• Reddings Woods, Kirkby on Bain, Lincolnshire, East Lindsey

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Middlesex

• Ruislip Woods

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Norfolk

• Foxley Wood

North Yorkshire

• [[Grass Wood, Wharfedale

Nidd gorge Knaresborough ]]

Northamptonshire

A Panoramic in the north-east of Bucknell Wood, part of Whittlewood Forest

The ancient woods of Northants are concentrated towards the south and west of the county, to that region bordering Bucks, Oxford and Beds. Many are managed by the Forestry Commission, although others are in private hands. They tend to occur on limestone soils in elevated country, and exhibit a diversity of habitats.

• Hazleborough Wood, part of Whittlewood Forest
• Royal Forest of Rockingham
• Salcey Forest
• Whittlewood Forest
• Yardley Chase

Northumberland

Whittle Dene

Nottinghamshire

• Sherwood Forest

O

Oxfordshire

Young coppice at Out Wood, Oxfordshire

The ancient woods of Oxfordshire are concentrated in three distinct areas. In the south are woods of the Chiltern Hills. A second cluster lies to the east of Oxford. The Cotswolds woods on the western side of the county include those in the Royal Forest of Wychwood. Oxfordshire has nearly 18,000 ha of woodland in total (6.9% of its area), two-thirds of which are in woods of over 10 ha. 1,839 ha of woodland is represented in the 17 ancient woods listed below. Some 6,000 ha of woodland is split among the 3,390 woods smaller than 10 ha. Many of these smaller woods may be ancient, but are not covered by this list. The list here covers woods of over 10 ha with SSSI status.

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Oxfordshire ancient woods

Wychwood Forest, Oxfordshire

Some of the principal Ancient Woods in Oxfordshire

No.	Woodland	Public access	Location & map link	Area	Status
1	Aston Rowant Woods	Yes (part)	SU750984	26 ha (64 acres)	SSSI
2	Bear, Oveys and Great Bottom Woods		SU693840	45 ha (111 acres)	SSSI
3	Bould Wood		SP253205	52 ha (128 acres)	SSSI
4	Harpsden Wood	Yes	SU761804	35 ha (86 acres)	SSSI Woodland Trust
5	Holly Wood LNR		SP588100	16 ha (40 acres)	SSSI
6	Holton Wood		SP603080	68 ha (168 acres)	SSSI
7	Lambridge Wood		SU734845	52 ha (128 acres)	SSSI
8	Out Wood		SP408208	88 ha (217 acres)	SSSI
9	Pishill Woods		SU715901	80 ha (198 acres)	SSSI
10	Sarsgrove Wood		SP305243	103 ha (255 acres)	SSSI
11	Stanton Great Wood		SP588093	141 ha (348 acres)	SSSI
12	Sturt Copse		SP400150	42 ha (104 acres)	SSSI
13	Waterperry Wood		SP605090	153 ha (378 acres)	SSSI
14	Whitecross Green and Oriel Woods		SP603144	75 ha (185 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust
15	Woodeaton Wood		SP450112	976 ha (2,412 acres)	SSSI
16	Wychwood		SP332158	530 ha (1,310 acres)	SSSI Wildlife Trust
17	Wytham Woods		SP462083	61 ha (151 acres)	[1001309]

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Rutland

• Burley Wood
• Prior's Coppice

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Shropshire

• Wyre Forest bordering Worcestershire

Somerset

Somerset is a rural county of rolling hills such as the Blackdown Hills, Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels. Many of the woodland areas have been designated as SSSIs with some being managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust or Somerset Wildlife Trust. Woodland covers seven per cent of the land area of the county.

Some of the principal Ancient Woods in Somerset

Woodland	Public access	Coordinates and map link	Area ha (acre)	Designation	Citations
Aller and Beer Woods			56.9 ha (141 acres)	SSSI
Asham Wood			140.6 ha (347 acres)	SSSI
Cheddar Wood	Permit required		86.9 ha (215 acres)	SSSI
Cogley Wood			60.7 ha (150 acres)	SSSI
Dunkery and Horner Woods	Yes		1,604 ha (3,964 acres)	SSSI, NNR
Edford Woods and Meadows			54.3 ha (134 acres)	SSSI
Great Breach and Copley Woods			64.8 ha (160 acres)	SSSI
Harridge Wood
Hawkcombe Woods			101 ha (250 acres)	Proposed NNR
North Exmoor	Yes		12,005.3 ha (29,666 acres)	SSSI
Leigh Woods	Yes		155.4 ha (384 acres)	SSSI, NNR
Limebreach Wood
Longleat Woods			249.9 ha (618 acres)	SSSI
Long Dole Wood and Meadows			9.8 ha (24 acres)	SSSI
Neroche Forest
Postlebury Wood			87 ha (215 acres)	SSSI
Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood			103.6 ha (256 acres)	SSSI
Sparkford Wood			8.4 ha (21 acres)	SSSI
Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands			26.7 ha (66 acres)	SSSI
Towerhouse Wood
Twinhills Woods and Meadows			21.2 ha (52 acres)	SSSI
Weston Big Wood	Yes		37.48 ha (93 acres)	SSSI

South Yorkshire

• Beeley Wood

Staffordshire

• Cannock Chase

Suffolk

• Arger Fen and Spouses Grove
• Assington Thicks
• Bradfield Woods
• Bull's Wood
• Snakes Wood
• Staverton Park-Butley
• Wolves Wood

Surrey

22.4% of the Land Area of Surrey is woodland this makes it the most wooded county in England.

Tyne and Wear

• Thornley Wood SSSI
• Derwent Walk Country Park woods
• Stanley Burn Wood
• Snipes Dene Wood, part of Gibside SSSI

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Warwickshire

• Ryton Woods

West Midlands

• Sutton Park

West Sussex

18.9% of West Sussex's land area is woodland.

• Titnore Wood
• Kingley Vale

West Yorkshire

• Batty's Wood

Wiltshire

• Savernake forest
• Vincients Wood

Worcestershire

• Grafton Wood
• Laight Rough,
• Pepper Wood
• Shrawley Wood
• Wyre Forest bordering Shropshire

See also

• Ancient Woodland
• English land law

External links

• What is Ancient Woodland?

• Forestry Commission: National Inventory of Woodland and Trees County Report for Bedfordshire 2002, p.2
• Forestry Commission: National Inventory of Woodland and Trees County Report for Bedfordshire 2002, p.11
• King's and Baker's Woods NNR
• King's and Baker's Woods, BCNP Wildlife Trust
• Central Bedfordshire Council – Kingswood
• Maulden Wood - Forestry Commission
• Odell Country Park: Bedord Borough Counci
• Potton Wood, Beds.:Forestry Commission
• [1] Archived 29 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• Bisham Woods: Woodland Trust
• Bowdown & Chamberhouse Woods: Berks Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust
• [2] Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Avon Gorge SSSI Citation
• Natural England SSSI search for Cambridgeshire
• Woodland Trust Aversley Wood, Cambs
• NNR
• Bedford Purlieus, Cambs. Forestry Commission
• BCPN Wildlife Trust, Brampton Wood
• BCPN Wildlife Trust, Buff Wood
• BCPN Wildlife Trust Carlton Wood
• BCPN Wildlife Trust, Carlton Wood
• BCPN Wildlife Trust, Hayley Wood
• Natural England NNR, Monks Wood
• BCNP Wildlife Trust, Thorpe Wood
• http://www2.halton.gov.uk/pdfs/environment/ancientwoodlands
• Mersey Community Forest
• [3] Archived 21 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
• Rackham 1992, p. 82.
• Rackham 1992, p. 62.
• Wooded Wonders, exploring the natural heritage of ancient woodlands Leicestershire County Council, 2000. p.3
• Squires 1994, p. 140.
• Squires 1994, p. 49.
• Woodward, Stephen, 1992, Swithland Wood: A study of its History and Vegetation, LMARS
• Data on Oxfordshire Woodlands, Oxfordshire County Council, 2002 figures.
• Woodland Trust page for Harpsden Woods, Oxon
• Wildlife Trust page for Oriel Woods, Oxon
• Squires 1994, p. 133.
• Squires 1994, p. 117.