Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve
Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is the largest oak woodland in Walsall and contains some of the largest and oldest oak trees in the borough. The woodland is situated about 2 miles from Willenhall Town Centre and approximately 3 miles from Walsall Town Centre.
The wood is now owned by Walsall MBC, although it was privately owned until the 1950s. After the Second World War the woodland was under threat from clay extraction, which would have destroyed this ancient oak woodland. To overcome this the woodland was given to Willenhall Council who placed a tree preservation order on all the trees within it. Following the merger of Willenhall Council with Walsall Council, Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is now managed by Walsall MBC and became the borough’s first Local Nature Reserve in 1989 to ensure its protection and enjoyment for future generations.
History
The first recorded mention of Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is in the 12 th century when it was part of the Bentley Hay district of the Cannock Forest. This royal hunting forest stretched over an enormous area of countryside, covering much of what is know Walsall, Sutton Park and Cannock Chase. The forest provided a ready source of food of food for the local peasants with wild deer and game being plentiful. Unfortunately, legend states that the monarchs and forest keepers disapproved of this. A decree was, therefore, sent out that either the poaching had to stop or the wood was to be felled. Presumably, the poaching did not stop as the wood was indeed felled during the 16 th Century on the orders of the King. Following this, the wood was left undisturbed and regrew, largely from the original seed bank and it was not until the 18 th century that more serious disturbance of the woodland took place.
The Industrial Revolution produced an enormous demand for coal throughout the Midlands. Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is sited on the Bentley Fault where the coal seems rise almost to the surface of the soil. Coals mines existed throughout the Willenhall area and at Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve the Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve Colliery was in production for many years. Along with the coal industry the Wyrley and Essington Canal was also built to take the coal to the factories and furnaces of the Black Country.
The decline of the coal mining and the use of the canal only for pleasure craft mean that Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is once more an oasis of countryside within Walsall.
How to find Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve
By car
There is a small car park at the main entrance to Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve, off Hunts Lane.
The car park is closed between dusk and 8am each day.
By bus
The following buses all travel along Bloxwich Road North. There are stops for both directions close to the junction with Hunts Lane, adjacent to Woodlands Schools and Short Heath Clinic. The main entrance to Rough Wood Chase Local Nature Reserve is off Hunts Lane approximately 100 metres from the bus stop.
369 Walsall and Willenhall via Beechdale and Ashmore Lake
364 Walsall and Coppice Farm via Beechdale and New Invention
341 Walsall and Willenhall via New Invention