Norsey Wood
Site of Special Scientific Interest
LocationEssex
Grid referenceTQ 686955
InterestBiological
Area67.2 hectares
Notification1984
Location mapMagic Map

Norsey Wood is a 67.2-hectare (166-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Billericay, Essex.[1][2] It is also a Local Nature Reserve[3][4] and a Scheduled Monument.[5]

The site is ancient oak woodland on acid soil which has been converted to mixed sweet chestnut coppice. Bluebell, bracken and bramble are dominant on the ground layer, but there are sphagnum mosses (sphagnum palustre and Sphagnum cuspidatum) in acidic flushes, and the rare water violet in one of the four ponds. There are nine species of dragonfly.[1] Archaeolocal features include a Bronze Age bowl barrow, Iron Age and Roman cemeteries, and a medieval deer bank.[5]

Norsey Wood is the likely site of the Battle of Billericay during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, a battle the peasants lost.

There is a Forest nursery school based on the outside of the woods with access to the woods for the children, toilets, a car park and a trail.[3] There is access from Outwood Common Road, Break Egg Hill, Norsey Close, Deerbank and Norsey Road.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Norsey Wood citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Map of Norsey Wood". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Norsey Wood". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Map of Norsey Wood". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Multi-period site at Norsey Wood". Historic England. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Norsey Wood leaflet" (PDF). The Norsey Wood Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

External links

51°37′55″N 0°26′10″E / 51.632°N 0.436°E / 51.632; 0.436

Billericay
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex
Local nature reserves in Essex
Categories