Great Ridge Wood facts for kids
Great Ridge Wood is one of the biggest forests in southern Wiltshire, England. It's also known as Chicklade Wood. This large woodland sits on a chalk ridge, which is like a high hill, above the River Wylye.
The wood is mostly in the areas of Boyton and Sherrington. It's also part of the beautiful Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the south, you'll find the villages of Chicklade and Fonthill Bishop. To the north are Boyton, Corton, Sherrington, and Stockton. Another big forest, Grovely Wood, is located to the east on the same ridge.
A very old Roman road cuts through the middle of Great Ridge Wood from east to west. The wood also holds two ancient monuments. Because of its important nature, Wiltshire Council has named it a County Wildlife Site. This means it's a special place for plants and animals.
What's in a Name? Great Ridge Wood's History
Both names for this forest, Great Ridge and Chicklade, are very old. In 1843, a book called The Penny Cyclopaedia mentioned it. It said there were two large woods between the Wily and Nadder rivers. These were Grovely Wood and the Great Ridge Wood.
The writer W. H. Hudson also wrote about Great Ridge Wood. In his 1910 book, A Shepherd's Life, he shared an interesting fact. He said that in the 1800s, older people from nearby villages like Fonthill Bishop could collect dead wood from the forest. This helped them keep warm and cook.
Today, most land in Great Britain is owned by people or groups. A large part of Great Ridge Wood belongs to the Fonthill Estate. They manage the forest for things like gathering timber and organizing hunts.
Tales of Highwaymen in Great Ridge Wood
In the 1700s and 1800s, there were dangerous criminals called highwaymen. These armed robbers would attack stagecoaches. Stagecoaches were like old buses that carried people and goods. They often traveled to big cities like London or Exeter.
Legend says that a highwayman named Jack Hag lived in Great Ridge Wood. He would hide there and then attack these coaches. One day, people from the local villages chased him into the forest. They caught him and, sadly, executed him by hanging him from an oak tree.
This tree became known as 'Hag's Oak'. In 2005, a big storm blew the old tree down. When the wood was cut up for timber, something amazing was found. A rusty old metal plaque was hidden deep inside the tree! The only clear letter left on it was 'H'. Many believe this was a sign related to Jack Hag.
