John Stone Wigg, the first mayor of Tunbridge Wells, donated the majority of Grovsenor Recreational Ground to the people in 1887. His wish was to provide a recreational area for residents in the north of the town, who could not access the common land to the south. Hilbert Recreation Ground was a later addition in 1931, creating an important visual backdrop to the park, and forming what is now the majority of the Local Nature Reserve.

A full report on the history and archaeology of Hilbert Woods was written by Dr. Nicola Bannister in 2008, and can be accessed by clicking here.

Hilbert Woods consists of two areas of semi-natural woodland (Roundabout Wood and Folly Shaw), which between them make up the bulk of the LNR. There are streams running through both areas of woodland, and an area of newly planted woodland (Appledore Wood) separating the two. Both Roundabout Wood and Folly Shaw have recently been confirmed as being ancient woodland, meaning that both areas have been continuously covered by trees since at least 1600AD. The grassland areas of the reserve, including the site on which Appledore Wood has now been planted, were mostly ploughed during World War II for use as allotments. Despite this some remnants of a meadow like flora may still be found along the woodlands' edge.