Nora's Wood - Bessingby
Site Description
The wood was gifted to the Trust on the 17th January 1995 by Mr and Mrs Shaw. Nora’s Wood is only 0.4ha (1 acre) in size and is located on level ground just beyond the south-western outskirts of Bridlington, adjacent to the village of Bessingby, which is situated off the A614 Bridlington to Driffield Road.
The area has been designated by the Local Authority as of high landscape value, characterised by extensive arable fields and very little woodland. To the north of the wood the land rises to form the gentle Wolds hills and to the south, the flat coastal area of the Holderness plain. The site is one of a cluster of woods which are centred around the village of Bessingby whose environs have been designated a conservation area. Nora’s Wood, which links directly on to the private Church Plantation, contributes to the wooded feel of the parish which is a significant visual feature in the otherwise fairly treeless landscape, especially when viewed from the south on the A165 Bridlington to Hull road or the railway which runs on a parallel route.
The northern half of the wood was planted in 1987 in memory Nora Baron whose grand niece gifted the site to the Trust. This early planting was of mixed broadleaved trees and is now well established. The southern half was planted in 1992 in memory of Perry Moat by fellow peace activists. This half suffered losses from rabbit and deer grazing and was partly replanted. The site was originally part of an organic farm experience for schools but the enterprise ended and the donor has now moved away.
The site receives few visitors although it is important in a local context to those who helped plant the wood in memory of two fellow villagers. Although the population of Bridlington is nearby the wood is too small to warrant a visit in itself but could serve as slight detour for walkers who use the public right of way to Bessingby.
The site has very rich soil promoting rapid growth and rampant weed growth. It is carpeted variously with rough grass, nettles, thistles, broad-leaved dock, cow parsley rosebay willowherb and common comfrey and other species. Certain areas appear to have been enriched with garden refuse and some dumping has occurred on the site in recent years.
The southern half of the wood was badly damaged by deer and rabbit grazing and so was replanted in 1996 with native broadleaved species using 60-90 whips in spiral rabbit guards supported by cane. The new planting stock comprised of 40% ash, 40% oak, 10% silver birch, 5% rowan and 5% hazel, which were group planted at 1100 plants per hectare. A field gate, welcome sign and stock fencing were also erected at this time, the latter to keep out stock from neighbouring land to the west. A five-year programme of weeding and beating up operations proceeded to help with site establishment.
Only the new 80-metre stock wire fence and hedge along the woods western boundary running alongside the old paddock is owned and maintained by the Trust. A 275-metre stock wire fence of reasonable condition extends around the rest of the site segregating it from predominantly agricultural land, and the privately owned Church Plantation to the south.
