Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest in Essex is one of the last surviving examples of a medieval royal hunting forest in England, a place where the ancient woodland management practice of coppicing and pollarding has continued for centuries. Great spreading pollarded hornbeams, some of them many hundreds of years old, give the forest a magical, slightly eerie quality unlike almost anywhere else in the country. A tranquil lake sits at its heart, and the sense of living history here is extraordinary.
- Ancient royal hunting forest
- Centuries-old pollarded hornbeams
- Living medieval woodland management
Best for nature lovers, walkers, and anyone fascinated by the deep history written into England's ancient trees.