Cherry Tree Wood
Encyclopedia
Cherry Tree Wood is a park and a remnant of ancient woodland
(which was known as Finchley Wood
) in East Finchley
, in the London Borough of Barnet
. It is a Local Nature Reserve
.
Located next to East Finchley tube station
, it is approximately 4.5 hectare
s in size, and contains woodland, a central grassland, picnic area and tennis and basketball courts. There is also a cafe and a childrens' playground.
Its history may date back to prehistoric times, and the park was part of the hunting grounds of the Bishop of London in the 12th century. It was part of Great Hornsey Park shown on Rocque
's map of 1754. It was known as Dirthouse Wood because the night soil
and horse manure from London's streets was brought to the Dirthouse, now the White Lion pub next to East Finchley Station, as fertiliser for hay meadows. In 1914 it was purchased by Finchley Council
from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
to create a public park.
Until it became a public park, hornbeam trees were cut back every few years to provide wood for charcoal, while oaks were allowed to grow to their full height for timber. Now that coppicing has ceased the hornbeams have grown tall and rangy, and the wood has grown shaded. Wood anemone
and other ancient plants can be found in the spring, and nuthatch
and great spotted woodpecker
are often seen.
Mutton Brook
rises in Cherry Tree Wood, and the Capital Ring
between Hendon
and Highgate
passes through it.
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
(which was known as Finchley Wood
Finchley Common
Finchley Common was an area of land in Middlesex, and until 1816 the boundary between the parishes of Finchley, Friern Barnet and Hornsey.- History :...
) in East Finchley
East Finchley
East Finchley is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, in north London, and situated north-west of Charing Cross. Geographically it is somewhat separate from the rest of Finchley, with North Finchley and West Finchley to the north, and Finchley Central to the west.- History :The land on which...
, in the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
. It is a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.
Located next to East Finchley tube station
East Finchley tube station
East Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
, it is approximately 4.5 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s in size, and contains woodland, a central grassland, picnic area and tennis and basketball courts. There is also a cafe and a childrens' playground.
Its history may date back to prehistoric times, and the park was part of the hunting grounds of the Bishop of London in the 12th century. It was part of Great Hornsey Park shown on Rocque
John Rocque
John Rocque was a surveyor and cartographer.Rocque was born no later than 1709, since that was the year he moved to England with his parents, who were French Huguenot émigrés...
's map of 1754. It was known as Dirthouse Wood because the night soil
Night soil
Night soil is a euphemism for human excrement collected at night from cesspools, privies, etc. and sometimes used as a fertilizer. Night soil is produced as a result of a waste management system in areas without community infrastructure such as a sewage treatment facility, or individual septic...
and horse manure from London's streets was brought to the Dirthouse, now the White Lion pub next to East Finchley Station, as fertiliser for hay meadows. In 1914 it was purchased by Finchley Council
Municipal Borough of Finchley
Finchley was a local government district in Middlesex, England, from 1878 to 1965. It formed part of the northern suburbs of London and was within the Metropolitan Police District and London Passenger Transport Area. Its former area now forms part of the London Borough of Barnet.-Formation:The...
from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title is Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorized to determine the distribution of revenues of the Church of England, and they made extensive changes in how...
to create a public park.
Until it became a public park, hornbeam trees were cut back every few years to provide wood for charcoal, while oaks were allowed to grow to their full height for timber. Now that coppicing has ceased the hornbeams have grown tall and rangy, and the wood has grown shaded. Wood anemone
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
and other ancient plants can be found in the spring, and nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
and great spotted woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great Spotted Woodpecker , Dendrocopos major, is a bird species of the woodpecker family . It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia, and usually resident year-round except in the colder parts of its range...
are often seen.
Mutton Brook
Mutton Brook
Mutton Brook is a stream which runs between East Finchley and Hendon in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames....
rises in Cherry Tree Wood, and the Capital Ring
Capital Ring
The Capital Ring is a strategic walking route that is being promoted by London's 33 local councils, led by the City of London Corporation in partnership with the Greater London Authority and its functional body for regional transport, Transport for London, through which much of the funding is...
between Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
and Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
passes through it.
External links
- Cherry Tree Wood on the VisitWoods website