Have You Ever Wondered What Forestry YOUR Area Lost In The Past?

 

The forest of Kingswood stretched from the River Severn in Bristol to Kingsweston, up to Dyrham north of Bristol, over to Pucklechurch where the Palace of King Edmund, grandson to Alfred the Great was sited, and in the south Kingswood, Bitton & Hanham – an area of approximately 18 square miles.   A large part of the forest was mined for coal supplying the city and neighbourhood, the trees were cleared for agriculture, building and fuel.

Kingswood Forest, 1610

Kingswood today is part of north Bristol although part of it comes under South Gloucestershire these days under boundary changes. It is far from a forest and definitely not even a small wood.

Back in the time when there was a forest the area would have been habitat for boar, deer, foxes, badgers and many other species including at one time wolves. It is important to get a real idea of what areas looked like in the past as it shows what we lost and the habitat wildlife lost. Whether in Wales, Ireland, North, South or East England check the local history and see what you can discover and you may well get a big surprise.