Great North Wood

The earliest surviving mention of the wood dates from assize records in 1272, and it was known to be owned by the Whitehorse family during the reign of King Edward III. When Oliver Cromwell seized it from the Archbishop of Canterbury its area was measured at 830 acre, but it held only 9,200 oaken pollards. Since the Middle Ages the woodland has been managed to provide goods of economic worth. The coppices were used to provide timber, charcoal, oak bark, and small wood whilst the commons and pastureland were used for grazing and as a source of turf and firewood. Oak standards would have yielded timber for ship construction at the Royal Dockyard at Deptford, established in 1513, whilst the…

In 2017 the London Wildlife Trust secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a four-year project to develop plans for a Living Landscape project based around the Great North Wood. The project aims to raise awareness of this largely forgotten woodland and to encourage residents to explore, enjoy and value the natural wealth on their doorsteps. Further funding was awarded and the project was extended until March 2023. The Trust have selected 13 woods where they are carrying out habitat improvement works: New Cross Gate Cutting, One Tree Hill, Dulwich Wood, Sydenham Hill Wood, Hillcrest Wood, Crystal Palace Park, Streatham Common, Convent Wood, Biggin Wood, Spa Wood (The Lawns),…