Joyden's Wood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joyden's Wood
Map
Location in Greater London
Geography
Location	London, England
OS grid	TQ501719
Coordinates	51°25′34″N 0°09′29″E / 51.426°N 0.158°E / 51.426; 0.158
Administration
Governing body	Woodland Trust

Joyden's Wood is an old forest area located on the border between Greater London and Kent, England. It's a special place looked after by the Woodland Trust, which cares for over 1,000 forests in the UK. People have known about a wood here since at least the year 1600.

Joyden's Wood is about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north-west of Swanley. It's also 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south-east of Bexleyheath. You can find it about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) south-west of Dartford. There's also a housing area nearby called Joyden's Wood Estate.

Discovering Wildlife in Joyden's Wood

This amazing wood is home to many different animals and plants. It's a great place to explore nature!

Ponds and Newts

Joyden's Wood has nine ponds. These ponds are perfect homes for three types of British newts. You might spot the great crested newt, the smooth newt, or the palmate newt swimming around.

Birds of Prey

Look up and you might see some impressive birds of prey flying overhead. Buzzards, sparrowhawks, and kestrels have all been seen hunting in the area.

Plants and Fungi Through the Seasons

The forest floor changes with the seasons.

• In spring, you'll see beautiful bluebells.
• Bright yellow celandines also pop up.
• You might even find delicate lily of the valley.

When autumn arrives, many different fungi grow. They appear on dead wood and on the ground. Some examples include the purple Amethyst deceiver and the pinkish lilac bonnet. You might also spot the distinctive red and white fly agaric. In winter, many conifer trees grow here.

Uncovering History: Archaeology in the Wood

Joyden's Wood holds many secrets from the past. People have found signs of settlements that are over 2,000 years old. There are also strange holes called deneholes.

The Ancient Faesten Dic

One very old feature is Faesten Dic. This means 'the strong dike'. It's a boundary built about 1,500 years ago. Saxon settlers created it. This long ditch and bank runs for more than a kilometre through the forest.

The ditch and bank of Faesten Dic in Joyden's Wood.

A Medieval Hall's Remains

In the 1950s, archaeologists found traces of a medieval hall. This hall had two smaller buildings next to it. It was likely made of wood with a tiled roof. Experts believe people lived there between about 1280 and 1320. This means it was used for about two generations.

This building might have been the Manor of Ocholt. We know from old records that this manor was owned by Lesnes Abbey. Pottery found here came from the Limpsfield area. This type of pottery was sent to London and northern Kent.

The people living at the hall probably got their water from a nearby well. It's not clear why the hall was left empty. Perhaps the water supply failed. Or maybe the soil became too poor for farming. A terrible illness called the Black Death might also have played a part. There was no sign that the house burned down.

A bomb crater in Joyden's Wood (left) and a wooden sculpture of a crashed RAF Hawker Hurricane (right)

World War II History

During the Second World War, two RAF Hawker Hurricane planes crashed in the wood. You can still see some hollows in the ground. These are actually bomb craters from the war.

There's a special wooden sculpture in the wood. It shows a crashed Hurricane plane. A local artist named Peter Leadbeater carved it. You can find it just west of Faesten Dic.

Joyden's Wood Estate: A Local Community

The Joyden's Wood Estate is a neighbourhood next to the wood. Thousands of people live here.

Local Facilities

The estate has many useful places for residents.

• There's a post office for sending mail.
• You can find a butcher for meat.
• A pharmacy helps with medicines.
• There's a local library for books.
• You can also find a petrol station.
• The estate has infant and junior schools.

Community Groups

Many groups meet at the Joyden's Wood Community Centre.

• A pre-school helps young children learn.
• The Women's Institute is a group for women.
• There's a fun table tennis club.

St Barnabas' Church also has a building used by the church and community groups. The scouts and guides have their own hall too. There's even a Freeholders' Association.

The local government for the estate is split. Part of it is in the London Borough of Bexley. The other part is in the Borough of Dartford in Kent.

Getting Around Joyden's Wood

It's easy to reach Joyden's Wood and the surrounding areas.

Train Stations

The closest train station is Bexley. It's about 1.8 miles away. Crayford station is also nearby, about 2 miles away.

Bus Routes

Joyden's Wood is served by local buses.

• London Buses route B12 runs through the area.
• Go Coach route 429 also serves the wood.

These buses connect Joyden's Wood to places like Bexleyheath, Bluewater, Dartford, Erith, Swanley, and West Kingsdown.

Nearby Places

Joyden's Wood is surrounded by several other towns and areas:

• To the north is Dartford.
• To the north-east and east is Wilmington.
• To the south-east is Hextable.
• To the south is Swanley.
• To the south-west is Ruxley.
• To the west is North Cray.
• To the north-west is Bexley.