Shorne Wood Country Park facts for kids
Shorne Wood Country Park is a cool place to visit between Strood and Gravesend in Kent, England. It used to be part of a huge estate and is now a fun country park for everyone to enjoy.
Quick facts for kids Shorne Wood Country Park |
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Footpath in Shorne Wood
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| Created | 1987 |
| Operated by | Kent County Council, |
| Status | Open 7 days a week, dawn until dusk |
| Website | Kent Country page |
Contents
A Look Back in Time
This park was once part of the big Cobham Hall Estate. The main path to Cobham Hall went right through what is now the park. There were also other paths for carriages to ride around the estate.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, a part of the estate was used to dig out clay. A cement company used a clay pit that was under the old woodland.
Then, in 1987, the land became owned by Kent County Council. With help from Gravesham Borough Council, it was turned into a country park. It then opened its doors to the public.
What You Can Do There
Shorne Wood Country Park has large areas of very old woodland and open meadows. The old clay pit is now being turned back into nature. It will have new woodland and wet areas.
The wet ponds are home to many types of dragonflies. They lay their eggs and grow up right here in the park! A big part of the park is a special protected area. It is called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This part is known as Shorne and Ashenbank Woods.
The park has also won a special award called the Green Flag Award. This award means it is a well-managed and lovely green space.
Walking and Exploring
The country park has many paths that are easy to follow. They are marked with different colours:
- Purple Route: This is an easy walk, about 1.4 kilometres long.
- Red Route: This is a medium-difficulty path.
- Explorer Trail: This path is about 3.7 miles long.
- Heritage Trail: This trail is about 2.2 miles long.
There is also a longer path called the Darnley Trail, which is 6.2 miles long. This trail goes outside Shorne Wood park. It includes places like Darnley Mausoleum and Jeskyns. Jeskyns used to be a farm and is now becoming a new green space. The trail also passes Ranscombe Farm and Cobham Hall.
You can also find paths for horse riding and cycling around the park. There is even a special Sensory Garden for people who need easier access. Visitors with disabilities can rent special 4x4 electric scooters called "Trampers" from the visitor centre. These help them explore the park easily.
The Visitor Centre
The park has a modern visitor centre that is kind to the environment. It was designed to be eco-friendly. It was even a runner-up in the Kent Design Awards in 2007.
This building was the first in the UK to be built mostly using Sweet Chestnut wood. The windows and roof parts were made from Oak wood from Park Wood, Kent. The centre gets most of its power from a wind turbine. Inside, you will find a shop, interesting displays, and a cafe.
Lakes and Fishing
To the east of the park, there are two lakes called Furzey Leas Lakes. Steps Lake is about 0.5 acres, and Long Lake is about 0.65 acres. You can go fishing in these lakes if you buy a day ticket from the visitor centre.
Discovering History
Since 2006, the park has had a special Community Archaeologist. This person helps find old things in the park. They have found items from the Stone Age (like flint tools) all the way up to things from World War II.
Most of the work has been done around the remains of Randall Manor. This was the home of Sir Henry de Cobham, who lived there a long time ago, from 1360 to 1400. The house might have looked a bit like Ightham Mote, but without the water around it.
Digging has shown that Randall Manor was a large timber-framed house with a stone end. It had a special toilet called a garderobe and a separate kitchen. This means it was a very important house for its time. It also had other buildings and three fishponds. The manor was taken down around 1500. Its building materials were then used to help build the nearby Cobham Hall, which is now a girls' school.
You can find more details about what was found in the park on the Kent County Council website.
One of the "100 Walks in Kent" books starts in the country park. It then goes towards Owletts (a National Trust house), Cobham, and Cobham Hall, before returning to the park.
How to Get There
Shorne Wood Country Park is located off the A2 dual carriageway. This road is between Gravesend and Rochester. The main entrance for cars is along Brewer's Road, which leads to Shorne.
Parkrun Fun
Shorne Woods Country Park is also home to a parkrun. This is a free, timed 5-kilometre running event. Volunteers help to run it every week. The first Shorne Woods parkrun happened on March 30, 2013.
Images for kids
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The site of Randall Manor.
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Exposed chalk masonry at Randall Manor.
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Fourteenth-century floor tiles from Randall Manor.
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Carved sculptural head from Randall Manor.
