Whippendell Wood

Coordinates: 51°40′12″N 0°26′42″W / 51.67°N 0.445°W / 51.67; -0.445
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Whippendell Wood
Notification
1984
Location mapMagic Map

Whippendell Wood (or Whippendell Woods) is an

Anglo-Saxon name "Wippa denu", meaning "Wippa's valley".[3]

History

Whippendell Wood is an

lime trees dating back to 1672, which runs diagonally through the wood.[2] The northern section of the wood was replanted at some point in the 18th or 19th century.[2] Other phases of clearing and replanting followed in the 1940s and 1960s. In 1987, a storm damaged many of the trees in the wood.[2]

Wildlife

Whippendell Wood has been designated a

fungi and invertebrates. Originally, it was listed in 1954 with Harrocks Wood, but was declared as an SSSI on its own in 1986.[2]

Flora

A range of trees can be found in the wood, which is predominantly composed of

silver birch. There are also a significant number of cherry, hawthorn, hazel, holly and hornbeam trees. Sycamore trees are also found in the wood, but these are being felled as part of a management plan, as they are not native to the area.[2]

The wood is known for its bluebells, which are particularly prominent in April–May. There are also a few rare species of fungus, including Crepidotus cinnabarinus, which has only been recorded on three other occasions in the whole of Europe. First noted in the wood in 1995, samples are now kept at Kew Gardens.[2]

Fauna

The wood is home to a number of bird species, including

sparrow hawks. Mammals found in the wood include bats, badgers, and deer.[2]

Present use

The wood is open to the public, and there are several footpaths and orienteering routes through the wood. The wood is popular with dog walkers, and is also used as a shortcut to Cassiobury Park. Horses are not permitted into the wood, but a track for horse riders runs around the perimeter.[2]

Whippendell Wood has been used as a filming location for Star Wars; exterior shots for scenes set on the planet Naboo were filmed here for the 1999 prequel, The Phantom Menace.[2][4] This was also a filming location for Return to Oz, being the site of Dorothy's old house and the ruins of the yellow brick road. Whippendell has also featured in television series such as Holby City and Silent Witness.[2]

Watford Borough Council own the wood, with their maintenance funded by income from filming and the Forestry Commission.[2]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Whippendell Wood.

References

  1. ^ "Whippendell Wood (citation)" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Whippendell Wood". Watford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  3. ISBN 978-0-7190-4491-5
    .
  4. ISBN 978-0-8109-4968-3
    .

51°40′12″N 0°26′42″W / 51.67°N 0.445°W / 51.67; -0.445

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