The
Unofficial WebsiteWickersley Wood
Wickersley Wood lies on the southern edge of Wickersley, approximately 6
kilometres east of the centre of Rotherham. The wood is held on a long-term lease from a
private landowner to Wickersley Parish Council. The wood is first recorded in a document from
about 1600 as a coppice woodland belonging to the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. The site covers
approximately 14 acres. Wood felled there has been used in the steel and leather industries
over the centuries.
The woodland at the site can be divided into two distinct parts. The western third of the area
has been substantially altered by plantation forestry and is characterized by mature oak and
beech. This is an area of very dense planting. There has been little regeneration of young
trees and the ground flora is very poor because of this. The remainder of the site is typified
by dense oak and birch which has developed naturally following clear felling during the Second
World War. There is an attractive clearing in the centre of the site which supports acid
grassland with heather.
There are many footpaths through the woods which are well used by the locals. As usual bikie boys have been a problem. The wood is undergoing restoration with tree thinning to encourage new growth, scrub clearance, and hedgerow improvement. Since the wood is situated on a flattish site paths and entrances are being erected to encourage walkers, wheelchair users and pushchair pushers to use the site whilst deterring undesirables.
In June 2005 Wickersley Parish Council have received the John Boddy Rosebowl for Wickersley Wood as the best wood in Yorkshire for encouraging healthy leisure activity. This has been been awarded, or even awooded, by the Forestry Commission and the Royal Forestry Society. I have walked in a lot of places around Rotherham over the years but I have no recollection of ever walking in Wickersley Wood - I really must go and see what all the fuss is about.
In April 2003 Wickersley Parish Council has been awarded the Forest Stewardship Council's Certificate for its management of the site.