F is for… forest

Our new series of posts helping you to explore our county is an A-Z of Bedfordshire places, landscapes and history. Each post will include tips for walks and places to visit.

Early Bedfordshire woodlands

Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, large stretches of Bedfordshire were covered in woodland. Place names like Wootton, Bolnhurst, Gravenhurst and Potsgrove indicate the presence of woodland, new settlers made clearings amongst the trees in places like Oakley (oaks), Aspley (aspens), Little Barford (birches) and Willington (willows). In the woods were wild boars which gave their name to places like Eversholt and Everton – the Saxon word ‘eofor’ means ‘wild boar that lives in the forests’.

Medieval Bedfordshire

At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), approximately 25,000 acres of Bedfordshire was described as woodland. This wouldn’t have been closely planted trees but a more open, grassy or marshy area with some trees and little undergrowth. Droves of pigs were fed on acorns, nuts and snails in these woodlands and the Domesday Book records how many could be supported in each village. At Luton there was enough woodland to support 2,000 pigs but the usual number was around 100. There was a belt of woodland between Cranfield and Haynes, as well as stretches at Harlington, Westoning and Luton. There was less in the north around the Ouse Valley as the ground was colder.

Today the word forest tends to mean a large area of wooded land, however in the Medieval period it had a more specific meaning. Forest was land legally set aside for specific purposes such as royal hunting grounds for deer or other game. In the early 12th century, an area of Bedfordshire was set aside for this purpose but it was very unpopular, and the local barons paid to have it reverted in 1190. Today, historians are not certain where this area was.

In 1322 the Norman tower at Ely Cathedral collapsed. In its place the Octagon Tower that visitors can see today was built. The timber lantern was designed by Edward III’s architect, William Hurley, and eight other master carpenters. The large, tall, straight oak trees they needed came from Chicksands Wood, which was owned by Chicksands Priory, making their way to Ely by boat along the river Great Ouse.

Ancient woodland

In England, areas of woodland that have persisted since 1600 are defined as ancient woodland. 1600 is the date at which maps became more accurate and reliable so we can be confident that the area has been woodland for at least that amount of time. These woodlands are home to amazing communities of plants and wildlife.

Sharpenhoe Clappers is a classic chalk escarpment and part of the Chilterns National Landscape. It is topped with traces of an Iron Age hillfort and an impressive ancient beech wood. The area is managed by the National Trust.

Maulden Wood sits on the Greensand Ridge, it contains one of the largest and most important remnants of ancient woodland in Bedfordshire. The grasslands in the centre of the wood and the northern end of the wood are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The nearby King’s Wood is also an area of ancient woodland. This is the largest area of deciduous woodland in Bedfordshire and its history can be traced back before the 15th century. The soil is partly acidic, sandy soil and partly a chalkier boulder clay, making for a fascinating mix of plants and wildlife.

In the north of the county, Odell Great Wood is one of Bedfordshire’s largest blocks of ancient woodland in the area and is a designated SSSI. The wood is dominated by oak and ash trees with hazel coppice and provides a habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals. The woods in the area are the last surviving fragments of ancient woodland which once covered the clay ridge to the north-west of the river valley. The areas that remain are valuable sites for wildlife.

Wet woodland

Wet woodlands grow on poorly drained or seasonally flooded soils. The type of wet woodland and the trees that grow there vary depending on how wet the soil is. The Flit Valley contains more wet woodland than any of the other river valleys in Bedfordshire. Flitwick Moor is the largest and most important wetland site in Bedfordshire and supports a range of wet woodland plants and wildlife. The low nutrient acidic water from the Greensand aquifer and the acidic birch woodland at Flitwick Moor support a number of species unusual for Bedfordshire, including nine species of Sphagnum moss, and plants such as common cotton-grass.

New woodland

The Forest of Marston Vale is designated as a Community Forest and is still evolving, with a target of 30% tree cover across the area. It is one of 15 Community Forests in England, a scheme which aims to regenerate former industrial areas by working with communities, landowners and businesses to plant new woodlands. Marston Vale was previously home to pits which had been dug to supply the Stewartby Brickworks with clay. The forest covers around 61 square miles and includes several community woodlands that have been planted since the year 2000.

A newer initiative is the Tiny Forests global project. A Tiny Forest is a dense, fast-growing native woodland, about the size of a tennis court. They include a mix of native trees which, over time, will create a wildlife-rich woodland. The trees are planted and cared for by the local community. Bedford Borough has two – one in Jubilee Park and one on Longholme Way. Central Bedfordshire Council have a number of sites across their area including Hinksey Road Recreation Ground in Flitwick and Mentmore Recreation Ground in Dunstable.

Explore the woodlands mentioned in this feature

• Chicksands Wood (PDF)
• Sharpenhoe Clappers
• Maulden Wood
• King’s Wood – Greensand Trust and Wildlife Trusts BCN
• Odell Great Wood
• Flitwick Moor – two moors walk and Wildlife Trusts BCN
• The Forest of Marston Vale 
• Tiny Forests – Flitwick, Langford Cemetery, Jubilee Recreation Ground – Biggleswade