Badby Woods and the natural history of the Badby area. Contents: Badby Woods | Bluebell Teas | Birds: successes over 200 years | Birds: more recent changes | Bird survey 1946-50 | Flowers | Trees | Plant catalogue 1840 | Back to Badby Woods & natural history overview | Back to History Section overview
The nearby Badby Woods are famous for their bluebells in spring.
Badby Woods is a private property and part of the Fawsley Estate, but is open to all visitors to enjoy its natural beauty. It is a protected wildlife area, and has a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the Woods originally notified in 1955 and repeated under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The citation states:
Badby Wood is the largest of a localised group of ancient semi-natural woodlands lying mainly on acidic soils derived from Jurassic Upper Lias Clays and Northampton Sands. It has a history of continuous woodland cover for over seven hundred years. Lowland hazel-pedunculate woodland is the most common vegetation type present, with pedunculate oak-ash-hazel occurring locally in the wetter areas. Woodland habitat of this kind has declined significantly throughout Northamptonshire and is now unusual in the county.
The Wood was included in the assignment of Badby and Newnham to Evesham Abbey by King Canute in 1018. It was passed to the Knightley family of Fawsley in 1542 by Henry VIII and now is owned by the Fawsley Estate. A moated grange or farm headquarters was built at Ordnance Survey reference SP562592, just beyond the Wood, by Abbot Roger Norreys of Evesham Abbey in 1189. In 1246 King Henry III granted free warren within Badby Wood and authorised the formation of a deer park for hunting and food. The enclosing embankments and ditches still exist to the east of the village.
Early 2007 saw the start of work undertaken by Fawsley Estate under a Forestry Commission Woodland Grant Scheme Agreement which will run from 2006 – 2011. Natural England was involved and supports the works undertaken. A large number of sycamore and some larch were felled and removed and the edges of the rides cleared in the first stage.
The Fawsley Estate have informed the Parish Council that in week commencing 9 September 2024 forestry works will commence in and around Badby Woods. This is part of a Forestry Commission approved 10-year Woodland Management Plan. The work is estimated to take six weeks. Appropriate health and safety signage will be in place throughout the woods while certain routes are restricted or disrupted during this period. Fawsley Estate ask for the cooperation of the local community in following the guidance.
The outcome will ensure the longevity of the woodland and promote the health and safety of visitors accessing the woods via the permissive paths – improving the overall visitor experience. Fawsley Estate emphasise that they fully intend to maintain and improve access for locals via permissive paths.
There is a parking area for about 12 cars off Chapel Lane (leading towards Everdon) out of Badby, about 400 yards from the village. From here you can walk into the woods beside the archway pictured above, which is under repair and restoration in September 2024.
Note that the path is not suitable for wheelchairs, and there is no realistic disabled access to Badby Woods.
Amended 20 April 2021 and 8 September 2024