The Pinewoods - Woodhall Spa
Site Description
The Pinewoods was purchased by the Woodland Trust as a 'woodland rescue' to prevent its loss due to potential development. A substantial grant was given by the Countryside Commission for its purchase, to which standard conditions apply. The most important ones are: a Management Plan to be produced, and agreed within one year, then implemented to provide recreation opportunities and enhance nature conservation interest of the woodland. The wood will be open to the general public for quiet, informal recreation.
The wood comprises of three compartments extending to 7.8 ha, the main block being about 7.3 ha. The wood has a well documented history as having been planted over an area known as Scrub Wood by John Parkinson in 1811 to produce pit props for his adjacent coal mine. The mine sank to 1000' and became washed out, forcing it to be sealed.
The water seeping from the mine was found to be rich in minerals, particularly iodine and bromine which was found to help sufferers of gout. A small bath house was built in 1830 but its popularity lead to a more extensive spa bath system being built in 1834 with the luxurious Victoria Hotel catering for the cream of society. The grounds of the Hotel and baths were landscaped and the adjacent Pinewoods became the centre of delightful sheltered walks with seats placed conveniently along the well kept paths for the chronically ill. Woodhall Spa developed as a town around the baths.
During World War II, the Pinewoods suffered much damage when the military used it to camouflage army vehicles and ammunition. Much of its landscaped character was lost at this time. It remained popular with local people however as a place for informal recreation, which led to the Trusts eventual purchase. This ensures its future as woodland, accessible for people to enjoy.
Today, the Pinewoods are fairly central to the small town of Woodhal Spa, which has grown up around it. The spa and hotels have all but gone but its location and accessibility with many paths and entrances mean that it remains heavily used by local people. As many as 50,000 visitors a year are thought to use the wood. It is predominantly broadleaved with oak and silver birch being the main species. A few scots pines still exist but are generally over-mature and prone to falling during storms. Silver birch and rowan are the primary colonising trees where light levels allow, longer living broadleaves such as oak are also regenerating but more slowly. A wide variety of other trees exist, many being remnants from the formal landscaping described above. Lime occurs along some of the woodland boundaries whilst beech occurs alongside routes such as Church Walk and King Georges Avenue. Exotics are also a feature, particularly closest to the Victoria Hotel site (it burnt down in 1920) where redwoods were planted by visiting Americans. This is now the site of the Coronation Hall as shown on the plan. Other than the recolonisers, most of the trees are very mature and fairly evenly aged.
