“What stories could these trees tell?” asks the wind as it rustles through the leaves of Cherry Tree Wood. This 5.3-hectare park in East Finchley has a history stretching back centuries. It’s a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation.
Cherry Tree Wood offers a green escape with woodland and grassland. You can find a playground, tennis courts, a cafe, and toilets here. The park is located opposite East Finchley Underground station for easy access.
The history of Cherry Tree Wood is fascinating. The area’s woods may have been a source of fuel for Roman kilns. That was around AD50 to AD160. The first written mention of the wood is from the 13th century. It was then hunting grounds for the Bishop of London.
Cherry Tree Wood is a remnant of the large medieval Finchley Wood. John Rocque’s map of 1754 shows it as part of Great Hornsey Park. Later, it became known as Dirthouse Wood. Horse manure and night soil from London streets fertilized hay meadows here. The White Lion pub stands where the Dirthouse once was.
Finchley Council purchased Cherry Tree Wood in 1914. They bought it from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to create a public park.
Before becoming a park, hornbeam trees were coppiced for charcoal. Oaks grew tall for timber. Coppicing stopped, and now the hornbeams are tall and rangy. The woods are now heavily shaded. Look for wood anemones and other ancient plants in the spring. You might spot a Eurasian nuthatch or a great spotted woodpecker.
The Mutton Brook has its source in Cherry Tree Wood. The Capital Ring, a walking route, passes through it.
In 1863, the Edgware, Highgate and London Line was built. It reduced the size of the wood. The railway blocked the brook’s flow. The area became boggy. Locals called it “the Quag” or “Watery Woods”. One entrepreneur grew watercress there.
In the 1900s, Dirthouse Wood stretched south to near Highgate Hill. Development in 1910 gave the wood its current southern boundary.
The need for a park in East Finchley was discussed as early as the 1880s. Cherry Tree Wood was seriously considered in 1912. The area had a reputation for rowdy behavior. Turning it into a park was seen as a solution.
In 1915, the park opened to the public. The name changed from Dirthouse Wood to Cherry Tree Wood. It was named after Cherry Tree Hill. The East Finchley Community Festival has been held here since 1974. It’s a free festival run by local residents.
So, as you wander through Cherry Tree Wood, remember its rich past. From ancient woods to a vital green space, it’s a place of nature and community. Take a moment to appreciate the stories held within its trees.