周辺の天然記念物・トップ4

A great place for a walk before paying a visit to the Garnon Bushes pub in Coopersale!🙂

This beautiful tree-lined avenue is located along a quiet country road in White Roding. Look over to the west and you'll see a solitary tree standing tall amidst a sea of rapeseed flowers, a very lovely scene indeed.

Hatfield Forest is an ancient royal hunting forest, and considered to be one of the best-preserved medieval forests in the world. In the past, deer were kept in the forest for hunting. Today you'll find deer aplenty still, though no longer pursued for the same reason. The forest boasts ancient trees, over 3,500 species of fungi, rare insects and a diverse array of birdlife. There's also a beautiful lake, café and river that meanders through.

Hatfield Forest is a 403.2 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Essex, three miles east of Bishop's Stortford. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site. It is owned and managed by the National Trust. A medieval warren in the forest is a Scheduled Monument. Hatfield is the only remaining intact Royal Hunting Forest and dates from the time of the Norman kings. Other parts of the once extensive Forest of Essex include Epping Forest to the southwest, Hainault Forest to the south and Writtle Forest to the east. Hatfield Forest was established as a Royal hunting forest in the late eleventh century, following the introduction of fallow deer and Forest Laws were imposed on areas by the king. Deer hunting and chasing was a popular sport for Norman kings and lords and the word ‘forest’ strictly means place of deer rather than of trees. In the case of Hatfield the area under Forest Law consisted of woodlands with plains.

No structure of the castle remains and are located on private land, but you can still see the high mound of the Norman motte and bailey. And Ongar has some lovely shops and eateries.

Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve is a pocket of ancient woodland that is home to many rare marsh plants and flowers. It is the last remnant of the old Coopersale Common that once linked Epping Lower Forest to Ongar Park, the Royal Hunting Forest. Keep a look-out for the rare marsh fern, as well as lady fern, bogbean, marsh valerian, marsh marigold, and ragged robin.

No remains of the castle exists, but still nice to walk around and explore.