Charnwood Forest

The summit of Beacon Hill

Bluebells in Swithland Wood

Charnwood Forest, as defined by Natural England

Old John, Bradgate Park

Charnwood Forest is a hilly tract in northwestern Leicestershire, England, bounded by Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville. The area is undulating, rocky and picturesque, with barren areas. It also has some extensive tracts of woodland, and significant Precambrian geology. Its elevation is generally Template:Convert and upwards, the area exceeding this height being about Template:Convert. The highest point, Bardon Hill, is Template:Convert.

On its western flank lies an abandoned coalfield, with Coalville and other former mining villages,Template:Sfn now being regenerated and replanted as part of the National Forest. The M1 motorway, between junctions 22 and 23, cuts through Charnwood Forest.

The hard stone of Charnwood Forest has been quarried for centuries,Template:Sfn and was a source of whetstones and quern-stones. The granite quarries at Bardon Hill, Buddon Hill and Whitwick supply crushed aggregate to a wide area of southern Britain.

The forest is an important recreational area with woodland walks, noted for their displays of bluebells in the early spring, rock climbing and hillwalking. Popular places with public access include Bardon Hill, Beacon Hill, Bradgate Park, Swithland Wood, the Outwoods and Stoneywell cottage (National Trust).

Extent

The area of hills and open land known as Charnwood Forest has no jurisdictional boundary (the Borough of Charnwood covers roughly two thirds of Charnwood Forest, and the eastern half of the borough is not part of the forest). Furthermore, despite its name, Charnwood was never a royal forest, and was never subject to forest law.Template:Sfn So although it is an ancient and well-established locality,Template:Sfn it has only recently been officially defined, by the Natural England National Character Area (NCA) process,Template:Sfn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which takes a somewhat wider definition than many previous attempts to define the area.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Geology

Many of the craggy rocks of Charnwood Forest are of volcanic origin and are very old, dating back through 600 million years to Precambrian times.Template:Sfn It was the site of the first-ever recorded discovery of Charnia masoni, the earliest-known large, complex fossilised species on record, recovered from a quarry near the Charnwood village of Woodhouse Eaves. It was discovered separately in 1956 and 1957 by local schoolchildren Tina Negus and Roger Mason, although it was Mason who received the credit (thus masoni). Since this find in Charnwood Forest, Precambrian fossils have been discovered across the world.Template:Sfn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Along the western edge of Charnwood Forest the rocks are mainly Precambrian igneous diorites. These formed from molten lava deep within the sedimentary rocks, cooling slowly to produce hard, blocky rock with large crystals. This is extensively quarried for roadstone around Groby, Markfield and Whitwick, and is known as granite (formerly also called Markfieldite).Template:Sfn

The central area of the forest has older rocks still. These are sedimentary and are very variable in character, They were formed by material from volcanoes, settling in deep water, and it is in these beds that the fossils are found. Uplifting, tilting and erosion have produced the distinctive jagged exposures found across the highest parts of Charnwood.Template:Sfn On the eastern side, a much more recent series of rocks are found. Again igneous diorites, that formed deep underground, but these are Ordovician, from a mere 450 million years ago.Template:Sfn These are extensively quarried in the areas near Mountsorrel.

History

The earliest form of the name Charnwood is probably derived from cerne woda, from the Celtic carn, meaning cairn, and the Old English wudu, meaning wood. Some sources give cwern as the derivation, meaning a tool used to grind grain and other materials by hand. The area was a source of stone for these tools, called quern-stones.<ref name="Charnwood History Overview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Archeological evidence has shown that the area was inhabited as far back as the Neolithic period, approximately 4,000–2,000 BC. Beacon Hill is the site of a Bronze Age hill fort, dating from between 600 BC and 43 AD. This forms one of the last surviving visible features in the landscape known to the Coritani, the tribe who occupied most of the East Midlands area at the time of the Roman Conquest.

According to Domesday Book, there was only one settlement in Charnwood Forest in 1086, at Charley whose name would appear to come from the same root, with the suffix -ley denoting open land, rather than forest.

In the 200 years after the Norman conquest, newly created settlements took major areas of land out of the forest for use in agriculture. Quorn was established between 1086 and 1153, and all the land up to Woodhouse had been deforested by 1228.

There were comparatively few major changes in land use in the post Medieval period, until the demand for timber and charcoal for the early Industrial Revolution contributed to a further loss of woodland. By the end of the 18th century, most of the woodland had disappeared leaving large areas of moorland and pasture.

In 1957, Charnwood Forest was considered for designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), but the designation was not made due to the construction of the M1 motorway through the area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In literature

The area was the inspiration for "Charnwood Poems", a collection of poems by the author, playwright and poet Albert Francis Cross (1863–1940). It is also the setting for the speculative fiction novel Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce (2012), in which it is depicted as a possible portal to the realm of fairies.

Wildlife and geological sites

Map showing sites in Charnwood Forest notable for wildlife and geology

Charnwood Forest covers approx Template:Convert of Leicestershire, split over three local government districts: Charnwood Borough, North West Leicestershire District and Hinckley and Bosworth District. It includes a national nature reserve (NNR), 19 SSSIs (Some subdivided in the list of sites below), 4 Geological Conservation Review (GCR) sites of international geological importance plus a further 6 GCR sites, 13 regionally important geological sites (RIGS), five local nature reserves (LNRs), seven Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) nature reserves, and one Woodland Trust woodland. Seventeen sites have open access to the public. Footpaths and bridleways give views and limited access to the other sites listed, and to the rest of the Charnwood Forest landscape. Over half of Charnwood Forest is included within the English National Forest. It is also crossed by two waymarked long distance walking routes—the Leicestershire Round and the Ivanhoe Way.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 45 sites listed here include sites with statutory wildlife or geological designations, plus other sites included in published lists of notable sites. On both the map and table, green denotes a site open to the public, amber denotes a site with limited access or restricted by permit or membership. Red denotes a site with no public access except by special arrangement with the owners.

Plants found within the woods include Digitalis purpurea, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Sorbus torminalis and Vaccinium myrtilus.

Sites in Charnwood Forest notable for Wildlife and Geology

Map No.	Site Name	Status	Access	Location and map link	Area (ha)	Habitat	Ownership and details
1	Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> & RIGS<ref name="rigs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||Restricted|| style="width:15%;"|Template:Gbmappingitem||63||Ancient woodland and limestone quarry||Breedon Cloud Wood is owned by LRWT. Permit needed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cloud Hill Quarry is owned by Ennstone Breedon Ltd.
2	Shepshed Cutting	SSSI(G)<ref name=encit/>	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	6.1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||The quarry is crossed by a disused railway cutting of the Charnwood Forest Railway which is now a path and cycleway and of the short-lived Charnwood Forest Canal.Template:Sfn
3	Morley Quarry, Shepshed	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> GCRTemplate:Sfn & RIGS<ref name="morley">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||Open||Template:Gbmappingitem||3||Disused quarry||Charnwood Borough Council. Car Park off Iveshead Road.<ref name="morley"/> Cliff faces show the oldest of Charnwood's Precambrian rocks and the Triassic unconformity.Template:Sfn
4	Newhurst Quarry, Shepshed	SSSI(G),<ref name=encit/> GCRTemplate:Sfn & RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	9	Quarry currently being used for waste disposal	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> GCR listing for Mineralogy significance.Template:Sfn
5	Holywell Wood	WoodlandTemplate:Sfn	Private	Template:Gbmappingitem		Woodland	Private. Public footpath runs along its northern edge from Snells Nook Lane.
6	Longcliffe Quarry, Shepshed	RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem		Quarry site	Midland Quarry Products: working quarry.
7	Ives Head	GCR(I)Template:Sfn & RIGS<ref name="crocker">Crocker, J and Daws, J, 1996 Spiders of Leicestershire, p.207</ref>	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem		Old quarry and craggy hilltop	Privately owned disused quarry. A public bridleway passes 500 m south of the summit (201 m).
8	Blackbrook Reservoir	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> & GCRTemplate:Sfn	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	38.6	Open water, wooded banks, wetlands	Severn Trent Water. Access to the viaduct and wooded slopes via One Barrow Lane.Template:Sfn
9	Grace Dieu And High Sharpley	SSSI (B&G)<ref name=encit/>	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	89	Heathland and Carbonifierous limestone outcrops	Private owners. Adjoins National Forest access land and Grace Dieu Priory site.
10	Cademan Wood	WoodlandTemplate:Sfn	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem		Mixed woodland with rocky outcrops	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Spectacular outcrops that formed very close to a Precambrian volcano.Template:Sfn
11	Snibston Country Park and Grange Nature Reserve	LNR<ref name=lnrlist/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	40	Woodland, meadow, marsh and ponds	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
12	Nature Alive! Coalville	LNR<ref name=lnrlist/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	6	Regenerated scrub and wetland on former industrial land	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
13	Whitwick Quarry	RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem		Quarry site	Midland Quarry Products
14	Mount St Bernard Abbey	AbbeyTemplate:Sfn	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem		Cistercian Abbey	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> The crags around The Knoll show steeply dipping Charnian tuffs.Template:Sfn
15	Charnwood Lodge	NNR, SSSI(B&G)<ref name="encit"/> & GCRTemplate:Sfn	Restricted	Template:Gbmappingitem	193.5	Acid and heath grasslands with some mixed woodland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Timberwood Hill and Warren Hills are accessible under the right to roam.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
16	Jubilee Wood, Woodhouse Lane	Public woodland	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	10	Mixed woodland and rocky outcrops	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
17	Loughborough Outwoods, Woodhouse Lane	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> GCR (I)Template:Sfn	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	44.6	Mixed woodland and rocky outcrops	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
18	Woodbrook and Deans Wood	Stream and woodlandTemplate:Sfn	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem		Charnwood stream and woodland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
19	Charley Woods	Nature reserve	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	28.8	Oak woodland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
20	Bardon Hill Quarry	SSSI(G)<ref name=encit/> GCRTemplate:Sfn and RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	79	Quarry. Precambrian Igneous Rocks	Aggregate Industries.
21	Bardon Hill	SSSI(B)<ref name=encit/>	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	13	High moorland, highest point in Leicestershire (278m)	Private land. Access to the summit, via public footpaths with expansive views.Template:Sfn
22	Beacon Hill, Woodhouse Eaves	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> GCRTemplate:Sfn & Ancient Monument	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	135	Heathland, rocks, woodland hillfort	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23	Broombriggs Farm and Windmill Hill	Farm Trail	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	55	Farmland and heath	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
24	Buddon Brook	StreamTemplate:Sfn	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem		Stream habitat	Private farmland. A public footpath runs beside the stream.
25	Buddon Wood	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> and RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	89	Ancient Oak woodland, now mostly quarried away,	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
26	Main Quarry, Mountsorrel	SSSI(G)<ref name=encit/> & GCRTemplate:Sfn	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	14	Quarry site	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
27	Swithland Reservoir and Brazil Island	SSSI (B&G)<ref name=encit/> and RIGS	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	98	Open water, wooded banks	Severn Trent Water. Limited road and footpath access. Excellent views from Great Central Railway, which crosses the reservoir via Brazil Island.
28	The Brand, Swithland	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> & GCRTemplate:Sfn	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	18	Oak woodland, grassy heath and old slate quarries	Private (Martin family). Occasional open days.<ref name="crocker"/>
29	Roecliffe Manor Lawns	SSSI(B)<ref name=encit/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	1.2	Species rich grassland with rare fungi	Private (Cottingham family).
30	Swithland Wood	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	61	Ancient Woodland and disused slate quarries	Bradgate Park Trust. Pay car parks.
31	Benscliffe Wood	SSSI(B)<ref name=encit/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	10	Mixed woodland	Private wood. Particularly rich in lichen species.
32	Ulverscroft Nature Reserve, Whitcroft's Lane	Nature reserve	Restricted	Template:Gbmappingitem	56	Mixed woodland, marshy grassland and meadow	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
33	Rocky Plantation, Nr Markfield	Nature reserve	Restricted	Template:Gbmappingitem	3.4	Mixed woodland and rocky outcrops	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
34	Lea Meadows, Ulverscroft Lane	SSSI<ref name=encit/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	12	Meadow	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
35	Billa Barra Hill	LNR<ref name=lnrlist/> & RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	20	Old quarry, grassland, mature and recent woodland.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
36	New Cliffe Hill Quarry	RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	243	Quarry. Precambrian Rocks	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
37	Cliffe Hill Quarry	SSSI(G)<ref name=encit/> GCR (I)Template:Sfn and RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	37	Quarry. Precambrian Rocks	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
38	Altar Stones, Markfield	Nature reserve	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	3.7	Rough heath grassland with rock outcrops	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
39	Hill Hole Quarry, Markfield	Nature reserve and RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	5.4	Flooded quarry, rock faces and grassland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> The old quarry faces show the youngest of the area's Precambrian rocks.Template:Sfn
40	Cropston Reservoir	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem	55	Open water, wetlands	Severn Trent Water. No access but with good views from Bradgate Park.
41	Bradgate Park	SSSI(B&G)<ref name=encit/> GCR(I)Template:Sfn	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	340	Bracken heath, rocks, river, woodland, ancient oaks	Bradgate Park Trust. Pay car parks.
42	Sheet Hedges Wood, Newtown Linford	SSSI(B)<ref name=encit/>	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	30	Mixed woodland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
43	Groby Pool	SSSI(B)<ref name=encit/>	Partial	Template:Gbmappingitem	28	Open water, wetlands	Amalgamated Roadstone Corp. One side has good roadside paths and access with a large nearby free car park.
44	Groby Quarry	RIGS<ref name="rigs"/>	None	Template:Gbmappingitem		Working Quarry	Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation (ARC)
45	Martinshaw Wood	Public woodlandTemplate:Sfn	Open	Template:Gbmappingitem	102	Mixed woodland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Abbreviations used in the table: National nature reserve (NNR). Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (B=Biological, G=Geological). Geological Conservation Review (GCR)(I=of International importance).Template:Sfn Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS). Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT). National Trust (NT). Local nature reserve (LNR). Template:GeoGroup

See also

• Henry Walter Bates
• Thomas George Bonney
• Borough of Charnwood
• Quorn Hunt
• Charnia

References

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External links

• Charnwood forest geology.
• Beacon Hill Country Park