Salcey Forest
Encyclopedia
Salcey Forest is a former medieval hunting forest
in the south of the county of Northamptonshire
in England
.
It lies to the east of the village of Hartwell
, between Northampton
and Newport Pagnell
. It is managed by the Forestry Commission
and is still commercially exploited for timber products.
In 2005, a tree top forest walk
was constructed which has attracted many visitors and rises through the forest to a height of about 15 metres (49ft), at a gradient not exceeding 1 in 12. At the end, a raised viewing platform sits above it at 18 metres (59ft) from the ground, which is accessed by stairs. The project was placed first in the Environmental category of the British Construction Industry Awards
2006.
There are public footpaths through the forest and a range of wildlife can be observed. The forest is a remnant of the medieval royal hunting forest. Reminders of the past can still be found, with many miles of ancient woodbanks, building remains and ancient trees. The 'druids'
or veteran oaks in Salcey are rare and amazing wildlife habitats, and some of the old oaks are believed to be over 500 years old.
The forest has a café in one of the main parking areas - which is pay and display, next to the children's play area - most of the remaining parking areas in the forest are free. It is an Official Bookcrossing
zone and has two bookshelves where books can left or taken for free.
During the Second World War, elephants from circuses were put to use to fell trees. There is a pond named The Elephant Pond where the elephants could bathe at the end of the day. The forest was served by its own railway station
on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
until 1908.
Author Laura Beatty
lives in the forest and it provides the inspiration for her 2008 novel Pollard
.
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
in the south of the county of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
in 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...
.
It lies to the east of the village of Hartwell
Hartwell, Northamptonshire
Hartwell is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, bordering Buckinghamshire. The village is next to Salcey Forest and the M1 motorway...
, between Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell is a town in the Borough of Milton Keynes , England. It is separated by the M1 motorway from Milton Keynes itself, though part of the same urban area...
. It is managed by the Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
and is still commercially exploited for timber products.
In 2005, a tree top forest walk
Canopy walkway
Canopy walkways are bridges between trees in the canopy of a forest; mostly linked up with platforms inside or around the trees. They were originally intended as access to the upper regions of ancient forests for scientists conducting canopy research. Eventually, because they provided only...
was constructed which has attracted many visitors and rises through the forest to a height of about 15 metres (49ft), at a gradient not exceeding 1 in 12. At the end, a raised viewing platform sits above it at 18 metres (59ft) from the ground, which is accessed by stairs. The project was placed first in the Environmental category of the British Construction Industry Awards
British Construction Industry Awards
The British Construction Industry Awards were launched by the New Civil Engineer magazine and Thomas Telford Ltd - both owned by the Institution of Civil Engineers - in 1998....
2006.
There are public footpaths through the forest and a range of wildlife can be observed. The forest is a remnant of the medieval royal hunting forest. Reminders of the past can still be found, with many miles of ancient woodbanks, building remains and ancient trees. The 'druids'
Druid oak
A Druid Oak is a large oak tree found in many ancient forests in Britain. Many such forests have named Druid Oaks - one such example being the Druid's Oak at Burnham Beeches. There are also rare examples at Salcey Forest, in Northamptonshire...
or veteran oaks in Salcey are rare and amazing wildlife habitats, and some of the old oaks are believed to be over 500 years old.
The forest has a café in one of the main parking areas - which is pay and display, next to the children's play area - most of the remaining parking areas in the forest are free. It is an Official Bookcrossing
BookCrossing
BookCrossing is defined as "the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise." The term is derived from bookcrossing.com, a free online book club which began in order to encourage the practice, aiming to "make the whole world a library."The...
zone and has two bookshelves where books can left or taken for free.
During the Second World War, elephants from circuses were put to use to fell trees. There is a pond named The Elephant Pond where the elephants could bathe at the end of the day. The forest was served by its own railway station
Salcey Forest railway station
Salcey Forest was a short-lived railway station on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway which opened in 1893 near the Northamptonshire forest of the same name...
on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJR from 1909 to...
until 1908.
Author Laura Beatty
Laura Beatty
Laura Beatty is a writer awarded the Authors' Club First Novel Award for her 2008 novel Pollard, also shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize. She is married with three children and lives in the middle of Salcey Forest in Northamptonshire which provided the inspiration for Pollard.She has also written...
lives in the forest and it provides the inspiration for her 2008 novel Pollard
Pollard (novel)
Pollard is a novel written by Laura Beatty published in 2008 by Chatto & Windus in hardback and the following year in paperback by Vintage Books...
.