The last type of secondary woodland is caused by declining grazing pressure, enabling species such
as Oak and Birch to colonise grassland and heathland in the Forest.
1 always seem to find the Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) on disturbed ground,
often in secondary woodland, in the Forest. I discovered a large colony, over 75 spikes in what was
enclosure 369 on Warren Hill in 1980.I have also found it in the Lower Forest and behind the Robin
Hood public house, on both occasions on ground disturbed many years ago.
Introduced and Planted Trees and Shrubs
Epping Forest has a substantial number of areas of naturalised or planted trees and shrubs. Planting
is not a recent phenomenon in the Forest area. The biggest concentration of planted trees is in the
southern part of the Forest, particularly in the vicinity of Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park. In 1667
Sir Josiah Child, then head of the East India Company, purchased the manor of Wanstead and
proceeded to plant avenues about the estate. In particular he planted avenues of Lime (Tilia x europaea)
and Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), some of which still survive today, in Bush Wood, across
Wanstead Flats and on the green opposite the George at Wanstead.
Sharpe (1986) mentions a request by Sir Josiah Child in March 1680 for the verderers of the Forest
to inspect part of his property - Stone Hall Ground (just over the River Roding from Wanstead) lying
in West Hainault Walk, with a view to grubbing up the 'hornbeams and other trees fitt for fireing
aboute two hundred, beinge of small valew, and stand straglinge in several places of the said field ...
and Sir Josias Child assureinge us that he will plant in the said ground five times the number of trees
as he taketh away'.
Wanstead Park still has a great variety of introduced trees, among them Sweet Chestnut (Fig. 6),
Walnut (Juglans regia) and Holm Oak (Quercus ilex). The Park also has an interesting Elm flora,
much affected by Dutch Elm Disease. However, Wych Elm, East Anglian Elm, Dutch Elm (U. x
hallandica) and English Elm (U. procera) are all present, the latter three as suckers. An avenue of
English Elm was planted as a landscape feature across the Plain. Another avenue of Elms was planted
the length of Bell Common, near Epping, in 1897 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
In this case the elms are predominantly East Anglian, although English Elm and Wych Elm (Ulmus
glabra) are also present. Other avenues include a few Limes (Tilia x europaea) on Wanstead Flats just
south of Lakehouse Road, which are in alignment with the former Lake House (demolished c. 1908).
and I suspect, were planted to enhance the view from the house. A better known avenue is that across
Woodford Green, originally planted in 1880 with Poplars (Populus x canadensis). The avenue has
been cut down and replanted twice, in 1933 and in 1966-7, on the latter occasion being replanted with
Poplars and Planes (Platanus x hybridus). Poplars grow very quickly and within a human lifespan can
produce very large trees. Poplars have been much planted elsewhere in the Forest. By the Ching Brook
near Whitehall Plain grows a huge specimen with a girth of 14 ft. 6 in. and another immensely tall
tree (I would guess more than 100 ft. high) at Broadstrood was wind-thrown in the 1987 hurricane.
The Lombardy Poplar (P. nigra f. italica) has been planted in a few places on the Forest.
Perhaps the most obvious planted trees are those planted in linear fashion by roadsides: Horse
Chestnuts by Buckhurst Hill and Woodford Green making a splendid sight in flower; Plane trees in
the vicinity of Wanstead Flats, and Oaks across Theydon Bois Village Green. The Buckhurst Hill and
Woodford Horse Chestnuts were planted in about 1890. I suspect the Planes in the vicinity of Centre
Road, Wanstead Flats are an earlier planting. A row of trees is shown on either side of the road on the
1893 Ordnance Survey Map. The Oaks bordering the road across Theydon Bois Green were planted
in 1832 by the lord of the manor, the latter trees now varying greatly in girth between 6 ft. and 12 ft,
but most are around 7 or 8 ft. in girth after 160 years growth.
Pine trees have been widely but locally planted in the Forest. Mostly they seem to be Corsican pine
(Pinus nigra) and the native Scots Pine (P. sylvestris). There is an immense Corsican Pine in Knighton
Wood by the pond with a girth of 9 ft. 6 in. Scots Pine can be found in several places, including
Knighton Wood, Wanstead park and forming part of the boundary of the old Fairmead enclosure by
Fairmead Lane. The Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), originally from Asia Minor, is
well-established. In Knighton Wood it grows with other Rhododendron species and varieties, and
indeed many other cultivated trees and shrubs, in grounds originally illegally enclosed from the Forest,
but landscaped by Edward North Buxton in the late 19th century before being returned once again to
the Forest in 1930. Rhododendrons also occur at Oak Hill, Theydon Bois and in Paul's Nursery at
High Beach. Rhododendrons are able to establish themselves well from seed in the Forest. I have
found seedlings in Lords Bushes and one small established bush. It is to be hoped they do not become
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