34983
Anston Stones Wood a Local Nature Reserve and a biological site of Special Scientific Interest in South Yorkshire.
The valley sides are covered in deciduous woodland but show signs of planting, with sycamore and beech being the dominant canopy trees in places. However, it is recognised by botanists as one of the finest remaining fragments of native woodland in northern England. The crags are magnesian limestone, a rock which provides an exceptionally fertile and well-drained soil.
The valley is not only interesting for its natural history but also for its archaeology. Ice Age cave deposits and Roman artefacts have been found throughout the valley. It appears that the ancient woodland was been saved from felling in the past because the banks of the Anston Brook are steep and unsuitable for cultivation. It was managed as a coppice with standards as long ago as 1553 and appears to have remained continuously wooded since that time. Anston Stones Wood supplied the Royal Navy with some of its 'hearts of oak' in the 18th century. This management continued until the early 19th century, when planting either for ornament or game began to be practised.
The wood was purchased from the Duke of Leeds by Kiveton Park Rural District Council in July 1947, with the intention that it be safeguarded & preserved as a local amenity for the benefit of local inhabitants. It was transferred to Anston Parish Council in April 1973.
34983
Anston Stones Wood a Local Nature Reserve and a biological site of Special Scientific Interest in South Yorkshire.
The valley sides are covered in deciduous woodland but show signs of planting, with sycamore and beech being the dominant canopy trees in places. However, it is recognised by botanists as one of the finest remaining fragments of native woodland in northern England. The crags are magnesian limestone, a rock which provides an exceptionally fertile and well-drained soil.
The valley is not only interesting for its natural history but also for its archaeology. Ice Age cave deposits and Roman artefacts have been found throughout the valley. It appears that the ancient woodland was been saved from felling in the past because the banks of the Anston Brook are steep and unsuitable for cultivation. It was managed as a coppice with standards as long ago as 1553 and appears to have remained continuously wooded since that time. Anston Stones Wood supplied the Royal Navy with some of its 'hearts of oak' in the 18th century. This management continued until the early 19th century, when planting either for ornament or game began to be practised.
The wood was purchased from the Duke of Leeds by Kiveton Park Rural District Council in July 1947, with the intention that it be safeguarded & preserved as a local amenity for the benefit of local inhabitants. It was transferred to Anston Parish Council in April 1973.