Seventy acres of ancient woodland awaits us here at Highgate Wood. Today we will uncover its history and natural wonders.
Highgate Wood is a special place. It has stood for centuries. It was once part of the vast Forest of Middlesex. That forest covered much of London. It stretched into Hertfordshire and Essex.
The Domesday Book mentions this ancient wood. Today, Highgate Wood sits in the London Borough of Haringey. The City of London Corporation owns and manages it.
Did you know that Haringey has four ancient woods? Highgate Wood is one of them. The others are Queen’s Wood, Coldfall Wood and Bluebell Wood. An 1886 map calls Highgate Wood, Gravelpit Wood. This was due to a gravel pit once used for road construction.
Let’s talk about the plants and animals of Highgate Wood. The wood is mainly oak, hornbeam and holly. Over 50 other tree and shrub species grow here too. These plants seeded themselves over time. Look out for the wild service tree. Its presence indicates ancient woodland.
Birdwatchers rejoice. 71 different bird species have been recorded here. Foxes and grey squirrels also call this place home. Several bat species live here. These include pipistrelle, Natterer’s bat, common noctule and the rare Leisler’s bat. There are 180 species of moth. 12 species of butterfly and 80 species of spider also reside in Highgate Wood.
Humans have managed this wood for ages. Prehistoric flints have been found. Excavations found that Romano-Britons made pottery here. This happened between AD 50 and 100. They used local materials.
See that ancient earthwork? It may have been a deer enclosure. This was during the Medieval period. The Bishop of London owned the wood then. It could also be a prehistoric boundary. It might even be a defensive work.
In medieval times, this was the Bishop of London’s hunting estate. From the 16th to 18th centuries, the wood was leased. Back then it was called Brewer’s Fell. Tenants managed it through coppicing. They cut down hornbeams to encourage new growth. This growth was used for fuel and fencing. Oak trees were allowed to grow to full size. These oaks were used to construct ships. Churches also used them for buildings.
In the 1880s, the last tenant gave up the lease. In 1886, the City of London Corporation took over. The wood was then known as Gravelpit Wood. The Corporation got it at no charge. But they had to maintain it for Londoners forever. That’s why it was renamed Highgate Wood.
The City of London Corporation didn’t always manage the wood well. They laid asphalt paths. They planted ornamental trees. They removed dead wood. Highgate Wood was managed like an urban park.
In 1968, the London Natural History Society protested. They were concerned about exotic conifers being planted. The planting program was stopped.
More recently, management has improved. It is now more sympathetic to the wood’s plants and animals. Some areas are fenced off. This helps vegetation grow without being trampled. Dead wood is left to decay. This benefits fungi and invertebrates.
Highgate Wood is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It is also one of only eight Green Heritage Sites in London.
You can reach Highgate Wood from Highgate station. It is next to the A1 road. It’s about 6 miles north of Charing Cross.
Highgate Wood offers many facilities. There is a football pitch. There is also a cricket field. Children can enjoy the playground. You can grab a refreshment at the café. An information centre is also available.
The name Highgate comes from the Saxon word haeg. This means hedge. The hedge-gate was a track inside a private deer park. This park was part of the ancient woodland. The track ran along the park’s eastern side. A high hedge kept the animals inside.
The name Highgate first appeared around 1318. The Bishop of London allowed people to use the track for a toll.
One exciting find in Highgate Wood is its Roman kiln. Archaeological digs uncovered ten kilns. These kilns were used for making pottery. You can see the restored kiln at the Information Hut.
As we leave Highgate Wood, remember its long history. Remember its importance to Londoners. Take a piece of this ancient woodland with you in your heart.