Chaddesden Wood - Oakwood
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Below are various entrances to the wood, this wood has existed since the Middle Ages, and records show that in 1548 George Dethick inherited the Chaddesden estate from his father, John Dethick of Breadsall. The estate would have then contained around 100 acres of pasture land and about 40 acres of woodland

Factoids

• Existed since medieval times

• Oldest Oak Trees are 150 years old

• Derby's oldest ancient woodland

Springwood Drive entrance to Chaddesden Wood on the left a summer view and on the right a crisp winter view

The wood contains many large old trees, these are the common oaks, complete with dead gnarled branches, one of two native oak species which grow in Britain. The presence of these mature giants prove that  the wood has been here a long time, and the oldest oaks are about 150 years old, and are descendents from trees growing here over 500 years ago.

All those years ago the woodland would have been managed for its timber. Hazel would have been especially grown, which would be regularly coppiced, cut back to ground level, and then allowed to re-grow, providing a continual supply of poles, which would have been used for bean supports, fencing and firewood. The oaks would have been cut down to supply timber for ship building, houses and furniture.

Fungi and bacteria are an often overlooked component of woodlands. They are vital for recycling dead material into reusable nutrients to fuel new plant growth.

Until the early 1980s open fields surrounded Chaddesden Wood. Today only the northern side has a view into open countryside. Houses have been built around the rest of the wood, and on this open area we have this act of mindless vandalism, a local farmers burnt out machine