Burnham Beeches facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Middle Pond
|
|
| Area of Search | Buckinghamshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 374.6 hectares |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Burnham Beeches is a large, special woodland area in Buckinghamshire, England. It covers about 375 hectares, which is like 700 football fields! This amazing place is west of Farnham Common, near the village of Burnham.
The southern part of Burnham Beeches is owned by the Corporation of London. This means it's open for everyone to visit and enjoy. It's also a very important natural site, protected as a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation.
Protecting Burnham Beeches
Burnham Beeches is mostly made up of beech trees. Many of these trees are hundreds of years old! They have been looked after using a special method called pollarding. This is when branches are cut high up on the tree trunk. It helps the trees live longer and grow new branches.
Because the trees are so old, and there's a lot of dead wood around, the woodland is full of amazing wildlife. More than sixty types of plants and animals found here are rare or in danger across the country. This makes Burnham Beeches a really important place for nature. It is protected as a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and a Special Area of Conservation.
Ancient History at the Beeches
Burnham Beeches isn't just about nature; it also has a long history! In the southwest part of the area, you can find an ancient site called Seven Ways Plain hill fort. A hill fort is an old earthwork, like a big wall or ditch made of earth. People in ancient times might have used these as safe places or to keep animals.
This particular hill fort was built a very long time ago, during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. These were periods thousands of years ago when people used bronze and then iron to make tools and weapons. Seven Ways Plain is now a Scheduled Monument, which means it's a very important historical site protected by law.
Filming at Burnham Beeches
You might have seen Burnham Beeches without even knowing it! Its beautiful scenery and closeness to big film studios like Pinewood and Shepperton make it a popular spot for movies and TV shows.
Many famous productions have filmed scenes here, including:
- Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
- The Crying Game
- First Knight
- Goldfinger (a James Bond movie)
- The Princess Bride
- The 1952 Disney film The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
- Horrible Histories: The Movie
- The Doctor Who story State of Decay
Filming at Burnham Beeches is carefully controlled. This is because the area is so important for wildlife. Filming is only allowed for a maximum of twenty days each year. It's also restricted to certain times of the year. Filming is completely banned in the most sensitive natural areas. The money earned from filming helps pay for the upkeep and management of Burnham Beeches, keeping it beautiful for everyone.
