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WOOD ROYD (OZ/ES04) Click here to see preliminary management plan for the site Click here to see species lists for this site General InformationSK28309790 Ownership Elliot
(?) Size 0.95 hectares
(perimeter 648 metres) Designation(s) Open Space
Area Access Full public
access. Public right of way No 31 runs through the
site from the southern entrance at Carr Road to the
northern end exiting out at a lorry park and onto
Manchester Road. Classification D3 Importance A small parcel
of woodland that, in spite of all the past
industrial activity, has managed to retain a
remnant of ancient woodland indicator plants such
as bluebell and opposite-leaved golden saxifrage.
Date
Surveyed 11 &
12-03-00
Note: the code numbers of the photographs below relate to the locations shown on the map near the bottom of the page - they are not in sequence
1. 2. 3. 4. 8. 7. 9.
Survey informationA unique site
that has suffered from neglect and misuse for many
years. The woodland shows signs of being an ancient
semi-natural one. History The OS Map of
1854 shows the site as an open area with a footpath
running more or less the same route as it does
today and a dike that was then a continuation of
the stream running through Fox Glen. On the eastern
part of the site is marked a coal pit. The remains
of this pit are indicated by a bowl-shaped
depression in this part of the woodland. At some
time in the latter half of the nineteenth century a
tramway connection was built through the western
part of the site. This was to link Haywood junction
(and a line to Henholmes brickworks) on the north
side of Manchester Road with Gannister and
brickworks just south west of the site. Spoil from
this works probably contributed to the steepness of
the southwest part of the woodland (woodland with
birch, willow and ash). The tramway is shown on the
OS map of 1931 and probably not long after this
year was dismantled. Just to the north of the site
the map describes today's lorry park as a 'hive
yard'. Topography Generally
situated in a north facing valley and slopes down
to the north. Steep sided on the western side as
one emerges from the footpath (and housing area on
the eastern side) into the wood. A polluted stream
emanates from a wall to follow a course parallel
with the path until the path veers east to cross
the stream via a metal rail footbridge. The path
continues to wind round resuming a northerly course
again parallel with the stream and out into a lorry
park. The stream cuts a deeper course in its
northern part. North of the footbridge another
stream flows from a culvert (a continuation of the
stream running through Fox Glen) to join the main
stream to disappear down a culvert that takes the
stream to the Little Don. The south and
southeastern part of the wood lies in a bowl-shaped
depression (where a mine was located) and is
bounded by housing (with the lorry park to the
north). Recreation
and Use The site is
taking on the likes of a tip with much rubbish
accumulating on the steeper western slopes
(adjacent to an industrial area). A rope swing from
a tree indicates informal play by kids. The public
footpath is used as a shortcut to the main road
through Deepcar & Stocksbridge.
Present
Management None, except
vegetation clearance for footpath. 10. 14. Main Plant CommunitiesCommunity General
Description Characteristic
Species Community
A Ash-dominated
woodland Fraxinus
excelsior Community
B Mixed deciduous
woodland Hyacinthoides
non-scriptus, Coryllus avellana, Holcus mollis,
Hedera helix, Pteridium aquilinum Community
C Streamside
community Pelia
epiphylla, Marchantia sp. (liverworts),
Cardamine sp. (bittercress),
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Community
D Tall
herb Rubus
fruticosus agg., Urtica dioica, Galium
aparine, Chamerion angustifolium, Eurynchium
praelongum Community
E Mono-dominant
stands of bistort Persicaria
sp. Community
F Willow and
birch scrub Salix
caprea, Betula sp.
5. 6. Ecological InterestThis woodland has been much modified and shaped by past industrial (and present) activity. The route of the old tramway is difficult to trace within the site. However, if one identifies areas where bluebell and other ancient woodland indicators occur (on the west and northwest part of the site) the sharply defined boundary that emerges between these and the areas that have an obvious history of disturbance correlate quite well with the map evidence. Much of the ecological value is in the least disturbed areas. The northwestern part has a range of trees and shrubs and ground flora such as oak and hazel, bluebell, ferns, inlcuding a small area of bracken (along the northwest boundary wall) and has been identified as Compartment B. The southern part of the site is a linear feature that runs parallel with a footpath starting from Carr Road. As a result of its proximity to housing this feature (situated on the western side of the path) contains a range of garden 'throwaways' or ones deliberately planted. These include mock orange (Philadelphus), Hebe, lilac, London pride and Columbine (Aquilegia). Away from this boundary is a strip of willow, birch scrub that further to the north merges into a steep sided pioneer woodland with much ash. Opposite this area is a stream course that emerges from a culvert at the back of a house adjacent to footpath. The water is fairly well polluted, possibly from damaged sewage outflows with scum accumulation on the water surface and a characteristic odour. A stream side community has identified with moss and liverwort cover abundant. Unfortunately, Japanese knotweed has colonised the eastern side of the stream below the footbridge (taking the public footpath across to the eastern side of the stream to emerge out into a lorry park). Another introduction present on the site is the garden variety of yellow archangel that has silvery leaves, concentrated in a small area, along a wall, parallel to the stream south of the footbridge. Some plants, especially later on in the season, appear to loose the silveriness of leaves and look almost identical to the woodland type. There are areas of bluebell that are sporadically distributed along the stream north of the footbridge where another stream joins this from the northwest of the site (and is a continuation of the one flowing through Fox Glen). The stream, bounded on either side by some large ash and sycamore trees, flows down a culvert at the top end of the site. The eastern part of the site contains tall herb, much of it dominated by bramble and scattered areas of bluebell, with creeping soft grass and mono-dominant stands of bistort. Wood Royd is currently not recognised as a site containing ecological interest within the Sheffield UDP. In view of the interest it clearly has (and the potential to enhance this), it is suggested that the next review of the UDP should designate this as an Area of Natural History Interest. 11. 12. 15. Botanical
Survey - to view lists of species click
here Stocksbridge SRB5 Greenspace Audit undertaken by Jim Flanagan for Sheffield Wildlife Trust - see their Community Action Handbook - full of good ideas for your local site |
Inner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
I nner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
I nner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
Inner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
I nner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
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Text and Photographs (unless stated otherwise) © Steel Valley Partnership Stocksbridge, all rights reserved. Terms of use: Any involved in education or training may copy the contents of these web pages, with the proviso that they always make reference to the original copyright. |
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