Chase Wood

Chase wood is a planted ancient woodland. Some of the original sweet chestnut coppice woodland can still be seen, together with some mature Oaks and Pines. After much of the area was felled in the 1960s, it was restocked with mixed conifer including Scots Pine and Japanese Larch. A small area in the northwest section was retained as pure Sweet Chestnut coppice. The ‘open’ stream area running north south through the eastern section has been essentially retained as an open area and was planted with Poplar in 1956.

Chase wood is situated directly to the south of Tunbridge Wells and to the north of Frant. The woodland comprises part of a mosaic of small and large blocks of woodland, much of which has previously formed part of the Abergavenny Estate. The A267 divides Chase Wood and the larger complex to the west called Whitehill Wood which is in the ownership of the Neville Estate Company Ltd. The woodland is highly visible from the southern fringes of Tunbridge Wells, public roads and Frant village to the south.

The majority of the mixed conifer crop planted in the 1960s was destroyed in the 1987 storm, After the clearance of the damaged conifer crop, restocking took place in 1989/90 with conifer and mixed broadleaves under a woodland grant scheme.

Bassetts and Snipe Woods
Bassetts and Snipe Woods lie to the east of Pembury Village on the Romford Road to Matfield. The woodland runs each side of a valley and is split by a northeast / southwest stream. The woodland to the northwest of the stream is known as Snipe Wood and the woodland to the southeast is known as Bassetts Wood. The woods are bounded to the northwest and the southeast by apple orchards.
This woodland area is comparatively small, but links to other local woodland immediately between Pembury and Marshley Harbour Wood/ Forest Wood to the west and woodland adjacent to Matfield village, including Cinderhill Wood. Compared to Marshley Harbour/ Forest Wood to the west. Originally, these woods formed one large wooded area, but separate woodlands were formed as land was cleared to be used for agricultural purposes.

As with the other woodlands within the Tunbridge Wells/ Pembury/ Matfield locality, the area can be described as a high sandstone plateau with rounded hilltops with streams flowing eventually into the Medway Valley. Adjacent land is principally agricultural.
Whilst Snipe wood is classified as ancient semi natural woodland, Bassets wood originally formed part of a farming complex and was converted to woodland in the early 1940s in order to enhance the water catchment properties of the area. Only a small part of Snipe Wood is owned by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, the rest is privately owned and used for horse riding.

Links

Bedgebury National Pinetum - Goudhurst

Tudeley Woods - near Pembury

Friezland Wood - Tunbridge Wells