Willesley Wood - Ashby de la Zouch
Site Description
Willesley is a 58 hectare site situated within the National Forest adjacent to the village of Donisthorpe, approximately 2 miles south west of Ashby-de-la Zouch. Willesley is part of the Coalfield area of Leicestershire having a history of deep and open cast mining activity the latter ceasing in 1943 at Willesley when the land was then returned to agriculture. The Coalfield is an area of gently undulating landform, dominated by mixed farmland.
The area has few types of woodland but hedges, hedgerow trees and small copses sometimes give a wooded effect locally. The areas industrial heritage is never far away and visible relics include old colliery sites such as the Oakthorpe colliery adjacent to Willesley, and the subsidence flash seen within the boundaries of the site. Geology of the area consists of layers of younger Carboniferous and Triassic rocks, including sandstones and Carboniferous Limestone. Soils in the area are predominantly neutral clayey loams.
Willesley is now comprised of 4 main areas, new plantation, grassland, secondary woodland and wetland.
The area was planted over a 3-year period from 1991-1994. The plantation is primarily on the north and south slopes of the gentle valley running east to west and has been designed to accentuate the valley shape and form with the lake as the central feature. Planting is predominantly oak / ash with faster growing silver birch, willow and cherry planted in a block structure. Field maple, guelder rose and holly are situated towards the outside edges of the planting areas. Broad rides break up the areas of planting allowing good viewing points over the whole site and ease of access for walking.
The area was formerly know as Willesley Ext and was planted with mixed broadleaves in the Spring of 2003. The bulk of the 16.59 hectares was planted but the compartment also includes 2 small areas of woodland, at opposite ends of the Green Lane, which enclose former, now capped, mineshafts.
The Brook enters the site from Willesley lake on the eastern boundary under the road, it is then culverted again for a further 100 metres before opening out and entering Thortit lake. It exits the site on the western boundary through another culvert beneath the council recreation site (formerly Oakthorpe Colliery) and feeding further lakes at Saltersford Recreation Area. To the south of the brook near the entrance is an open parkland area of Sycamore, Alder and Ash with extensive nettle / thistle beds which are especially attractive to butterflies.
Thortit lake was formed in the early 1980’s by gradual subsidence caused by the old mining works. The lake is shallow 3-4 feet and stocked with carp, pike and tench. It is surrounded by marginal wetland fringes important to amphibians and water fowl.
Secondary Woodland and Shelter Belt on the south western boundary
These two areas are semi-mature secondary woodland; main canopy species include ash with oak and sycamore, with an under storey of hawthorn holly and elder. The middle of the main 11acre wood, a much wetter area, contains a drainage channel with species including grey, white and goat willow with common alder and several hybrid poplars. Of particular interest in this area is the native Black Poplar (ssp. Betulifolia). Both these areas have ancient woodland species associated with them such as pendulous sedge, bluebell and dogs mercury. The question has been raised as to whether or not Willesley was at one time host to areas of extensive ancient woodland. The earliest maps dating from1781 to 1887 show no woodland on the site. The 1887 O.S map shows it to be entirely marshland and hedgerow-farmland.
Later O.S maps show the progressive development of woodland in the marshland from 1887 to 1923. From this information and other sources it can be concluded that Willesley wood was originally;
-Farmland, probably mainly pasture.
-Had extensive hedgerows and wayside trees.
-Had some heath land with gorse.
-Had some plantation woodland.
-The site subsequently developed into marshland, possibly following subsidence and has since progressed to woodland over about the last 100 years.
Grassland (meadow)
The main grassland area is situated to the north of Thortit Lake, up until now the area has only been mown once year and all arising left in situ. Coarse grasses with locally dominant thistle, docks and nettles dominate the area. Rare species include Corncockle (Agrostemma githago) and Meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense). The habitat is potentially valuable for Lepidopera and other insects.
