Maulden Wood
Encyclopedia
Maulden Wood is a woodland situated in Bedfordshire
, England
, near the village of Maulden
, on the greensand ridge that stretches from Woburn
to Sandy
.
, a mollusc that is also indicative of unmanaged ancient woodlands. The rare Wild Service Tree
Sorbus torminalis also grows in the drier places deep in the wood.
The northern end of the wood is also an SSSI because of its importance as one of Bedfordshire's largest remnants of ancient woodland in addition to the nearby King's Wood. Maulden wood is green most of the year round due to the large percentage of pine and other evergreen trees. Hedgerows around the perimeter contain bindweed, sticky willy, honeysuckle, and trumpet flowers (Bindweed). The forest floor is often festooned with snowdrops and cowslips in the early spring. In the mid to late spring, bluebells can be found in the middle of the wood and on the waysides. The southern end of the wood is sometimes called Pennyfather's wood. It is situated on greensand, whereas the rest of Maulden Wood is situated on a cap of glacial boulder clay.
There also some rare species of sawfly (Symphyta, Pamphilius sylvorum and Caliroa cinxia, which feed on the resident oak
(Quercus) trees. Another sawfly, Pamphilius gyllenhali, has been recorded in the wood, which feeds on willow Salix alba. There are also notable species from several major invertebrate groups including the
beetles, dragonflies and butterflies.
and Iron Age
archaeological sites along Limbersey Lane and on the site of Limbersey Farm. There are also sites within the wood of medieval origin, especially on the north end of the wood, and on the west (Maulden) end of the wood.
The wood is notorious as a site for hanging highwaymen in the 17th century on Deadman's Hill, and for the site of the 1960s A6 murder.
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, near the village of Maulden
Maulden
Maulden is a small village and civil parish located in the county of Bedfordshire, in the administrative area of Central Bedfordshire, in the newly created Maulden And Houghton Conquest Ward. An active Parish Council meets monthly- the clerk is Lynda Galler . The village is located 1.5 miles east...
, on the greensand ridge that stretches from Woburn
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Woburn is a small Saxon village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is situated about southeast of the centre of Milton Keynes, and about south of junction 13 of the M1 motorway and is a popular tourist attraction.-History:...
to Sandy
Sandy, Bedfordshire
Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...
.
Overview
Maulden Wood is classed as a semi-natural broadleaf woodland, on acidic grassland and includes some conifer plantations. Paths through the lead can be reached from Maulden Church, through Church Field, and from the A6 road layby through the wood. There are grasslands in the centre of the wood. They are managed by the Greensand Trust and the Forestry Commission.Scientific interest
Much of Maulden Wood is designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for the acidic grassland and heathland interest, and wildlife includes badger sets, foxes, and barn owls. The site is important for invertebrates and plants which are indicative of the varied clay and sandy gravel soil. One notable invertebrate is limax cinereonigerLimax cinereoniger
Limax cinereoniger is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae, the keelback slugs.-Description:Rarely this slug can grow up to 30 cm long...
, a mollusc that is also indicative of unmanaged ancient woodlands. The rare Wild Service Tree
Wild Service Tree
Sorbus torminalis , sometimes known as the Chequer Tree or Checker Tree, is a species of Sorbus native to Europe from England and Wales east to Denmark and Poland, south to northwest Africa, and southeast to southwest Asia from Asia Minor to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains.It is a medium-sized...
Sorbus torminalis also grows in the drier places deep in the wood.
The northern end of the wood is also an SSSI because of its importance as one of Bedfordshire's largest remnants of ancient woodland in addition to the nearby King's Wood. Maulden wood is green most of the year round due to the large percentage of pine and other evergreen trees. Hedgerows around the perimeter contain bindweed, sticky willy, honeysuckle, and trumpet flowers (Bindweed). The forest floor is often festooned with snowdrops and cowslips in the early spring. In the mid to late spring, bluebells can be found in the middle of the wood and on the waysides. The southern end of the wood is sometimes called Pennyfather's wood. It is situated on greensand, whereas the rest of Maulden Wood is situated on a cap of glacial boulder clay.
There also some rare species of sawfly (Symphyta, Pamphilius sylvorum and Caliroa cinxia, which feed on the resident oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(Quercus) trees. Another sawfly, Pamphilius gyllenhali, has been recorded in the wood, which feeds on willow Salix alba. There are also notable species from several major invertebrate groups including the
beetles, dragonflies and butterflies.
History
The north of Maulden Wood includes several RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
archaeological sites along Limbersey Lane and on the site of Limbersey Farm. There are also sites within the wood of medieval origin, especially on the north end of the wood, and on the west (Maulden) end of the wood.
The wood is notorious as a site for hanging highwaymen in the 17th century on Deadman's Hill, and for the site of the 1960s A6 murder.