704 AD. That’s when the land that now holds Big Wood was given to Wealdheri Bishop of London. Imagine grazing elephants roaming this very spot before 1912. Big Wood in Hampstead Garden Suburb is more than just trees. It’s a living history book. This 7.3-hectare woodland has been a forest for over a thousand years. It’s a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation a Grade 1 Local Nature Reserve.
Big Wood wasn’t always under its current ownership. It remained church property until the 20th century. Then in 1911 the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust leased it. The freehold finally transferred to Finchley Urban District Council in 1933. Later in 1965 the land became part of the London Borough of Barnet.
Pedunculate oaks dominate Big Wood’s canopy. Sessile oaks hornbeam and wild cherry trees add to the mix. There’s an unusually large number of wild service trees. Their presence is a clue to the wood’s age. It shows that parts have remained untouched for centuries. Bluebells ivy and bramble form the undergrowth. Tawny owls nuthatches and treecreepers call this place home.
At the Temple Fortune Hill entrance stands a memorial gate. Local residents donated it to remember 29 Garden Suburb residents who died in World War II. This gate marks an ancient eighth-century boundary. The wood has seen wars changes in ownership and the rise and fall of civilizations. Yet it endures.
The hazel coppice has been managed for centuries. It was used for fence posts and firewood. From 1810 onwards the focus shifted to oak timber. Most of the magnificent oaks are from the 19th century. Today Big Wood is a place for dog walkers children and runners. Its wildness remains a sanctuary. The cycle of life continues. Here amongst these ancient trees you feel a connection to the past. A sense of perspective. Big Wood is more than a park. It is a testament to time resilience and nature’s enduring power.