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Harston Wood

Coordinates: 53°1′42″N 1°57′3″W / 53.02833°N 1.95083°W / 53.02833; -1.95083
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harston Wood
Looking downhill towards Shirley Brook
Harston Wood is located in Staffordshire
Harston Wood
Location in Staffordshire
LocationFroghall, near Cheadle, Staffordshire
OS gridSK 034 479
Coordinates53°1′42″N 1°57′3″W / 53.02833°N 1.95083°W / 53.02833; -1.95083
Area3 hectares (7.4 acres)
Operated byStaffordshire Wildlife Trust
Websitewww.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/nature-reserves/harston-wood

Harston Wood is a nature reserve of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. It is an ancient woodland, adjacent to the village of Froghall, near Cheadle, Staffordshire, England.

Description

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The wood was established as a nature reserve in 1983, in agreement with the owner, Mrs G. Hayes.[1] Its area is 3 hectares (7.4 acres) and it is part of the Churnet Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest.[2]

It is nearly a mile long, on a steep valley side between Shirley Brook (a tributary of the River Churnet) to the north, and the route of a former tramway, now a footpath, from where the entire length of the reserve can be seen. The tramway once carried limestone from quarries about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east at Caldon Low near Cauldon, to the Caldon Canal at Froghall Wharf.[2]

Existing for over 400 years, the wood is ancient woodland. It was once coppiced to supply timber for charcoal making. There are mostly ash trees; other species include hazel and oak; also small-leaved lime, which, seldom producing viable seeds in Britain, is only found in long-established woods. In waterlogged places there are areas of alder carr.[2][1]

The wood is a habitat for woodpeckers, nuthatches and treecreepers. On the ground of the woodland there is wild garlic, yellow archangel and wood-sorrel. Twayblade and broadleaved helleborine can be seen next to the tramway.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Information board at Harston Wood. Image File:Harston Wood information board.jpg.
  2. ^ a b c d "Harston Wood" Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
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