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| Classroom / visitors centre. |
This is a 56 acre wood south of Stevenage. It was part of an estate that was presumably monastic as the 'big house' (built between 1540 and 1545) is on a site of a monastery building.
The house was privately owned until the 1960's and my grandfather was one of the last employees on the estate. I lived there for a short time in about 1969.
The woodland itself was bought by Hertfordshire County Council in 1972. It was used as a nature reserve.
It now appears to be almost abandoned by HCC, perhaps owing to lack of resources? I think I must contact them to enquire.
It is a pleasant, quiet place to visit to see birds, butterflies, plants or just for some quality quiet time.
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| Bluebells. |
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| This stream cuts through the north of the wood and feeds two ponds. |
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| The course of an old road to Datchworth. |
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| Early purple orchid. |
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| Time to cast those clouts! ie hawthorn in flower. |
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| I love bluebells. They are one of the few things that Hertfordshire does well. |
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| The big pond. |
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| Another view of the old road to Datchworth. It is far more obvious on the ground than in a photograph. |
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| The big pond. It is held by an artificial dam. |
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| Decay. A pole lathe used for demonstrations to school groups and on open days. The remains of a greenhouse behind. |
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| There is the remains of a second greenhouse under these brambles. I remember these structures in all their glory, as a child |
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