Lesnes Abbey Woods facts for kids
Lesnes Abbey Woods, also called Abbey Wood, is an old forest area in southeast London, England. It's named after the nearby ruined Lesnes Abbey and is located in the London Borough of Bexley. This lovely woodland also gives its name to the Abbey Wood area. Next to it, you'll find Bostall Woods.
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Discovering Lesnes Abbey Woods
Lesnes Abbey Woods is a special place with a long history. You can find things here that date back to the Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago! In spring, the woods are covered in a beautiful carpet of wild bluebells and daffodils. It's a truly amazing sight.
What You Can See
Long ago, the monks at Lesnes Abbey had fishponds. These ponds were filled by a small stream flowing through the woods. You can still see these old fishponds today, even if the water level is sometimes low. They are a cool reminder of the past.
Helping the Woods
A local group called the Lesnes Abbey Conservation Volunteers helps take care of the woods. They are a charity made up of local people who love nature. Started in 1994, they work closely with Bexley Council. Their main goal is to protect and improve the wildlife and habitats in Lesnes Abbey Wood.
- They help keep Lesnes Abbey Wood and its local environment healthy for everyone to enjoy.
- They teach people about nature conservation, and the interesting history and geology of the woods.
The Lesnes Abbey Conservation Volunteers welcome people of all ages and abilities. They do many different tasks throughout the year. This includes things like:
- Hedge laying (a traditional way to manage hedges)
- Coppicing (cutting trees to encourage new growth)
- Repairing fences
- Restoring ponds
- Creating open spaces called glades
- Planting new trees
- Restoring heathland (an open, shrubby area)
They also do wildlife surveys. This helps them keep track of the animals and plants living in the woods.
Digging for Fossils
Lesnes Abbey Woods is a special place for nature. It's a Local Nature Reserve. It also includes the Abbey Wood geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a very important spot for finding early Tertiary fossils. These are fossils from a time long, long ago, after the dinosaurs!
There's a small area called the Fossil Bank. Here, with permission from the Lesnes Abbey ranger, you can actually dig for fossils yourself! It's a fantastic way to discover ancient life.
Gallery
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This is a very old burial mound, or tumulus, from prehistoric times. It's been dug into, but you can still see it.
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The woods are right behind the old Lesnes Abbey ruins.
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Look closely, and you might find cool wood carvings in the woods!
Images for kids
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This is the main part of the church at the old Lesnes Abbey. The woods are just south of it.
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You might spot this carving of a monk in Lesnes Abbey Woods.
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