Foxfield Wood

Wood, Forest in Staffordshire Staffordshire Moorlands

England

Foxfield Wood

Car or Boat, Caverswall Quarry Credit: Brian Deegan

Foxfield Wood is a picturesque woodland located in Staffordshire, England. Spanning an area of approximately 50 acres, it is nestled in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands. The wood is known for its diverse range of flora and fauna, making it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers.

The woodland is primarily composed of broadleaf trees, including oak, beech, and birch, which create a dense canopy overhead. This canopy provides ample shade and shelter for a variety of woodland animals, such as deer, foxes, and squirrels, which can often be spotted roaming the forest floor.

Walking through Foxfield Wood is a truly immersive experience, with a network of well-maintained footpaths that allow visitors to explore the area at their own pace. As you wander along the winding trails, you may stumble upon charming clearings dotted with wildflowers, adding bursts of color to the otherwise green landscape.

The wood also boasts a small pond, which serves as a vital water source for the resident wildlife. The tranquil atmosphere surrounding the pond is perfect for birdwatching, as numerous species of birds, including woodpeckers and owls, frequent the area.

Foxfield Wood is not only a haven for wildlife but also an important conservation site. Efforts are made to preserve the natural habitat and protect the woodland ecosystem, ensuring its longevity for future generations to enjoy. The wood is open to the public year-round, allowing visitors to connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of this Staffordshire gem.

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Foxfield Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.000658/-2.0391475 or Grid Reference SJ9744. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Car or Boat, Caverswall Quarry

Brian Deegan

Dilhorne trig

Iain Macaulay

Dilhorne Colliery

This small colliery was an outlier to the main North Staffordshire coalfield around the Potteries and was always situated in a rural setting. Despite closure in the 60s, many of the original colliery buildings have survived, partly due to having been occupied by a chemical firm that operated the site until very recently. The colliery was also used as the base for the Foxfield Light Railway SJ9744 : Foxfield Light Railway at Dilhorne Colliery, 1970 until it developed its current headquarters at Caverswall. The line was the rail link from the colliery to the main British Rail network. Since the move to Caverswall, the Foxfield Railway has not operated passenger services to the colliery site, terminating short at Dilhorne Park. In recent years work has been proceeding to bring the rest of line up to standard again, and passenger services are due to recommence to Dilhorne Colliery in 2007. As part of the regeneration of the site, Heritage Lottery funding has been made avaialble for refurbishment of parts of the colliery site, including the main headgear. This is particularly interesting in being of reinforced concrete construction which was always a rarity.

Alan Murray-Rust

Dilhorne Colliery Station

Work in progress (June 2006) on the new terminus of the Foxfield Light Railway. This was the original terminus and headquarters of the railway before its move to Caverswall, after which the service to the colliery site was discontinued. heritage lottery grants have bee obtained for redevelopment of the colliery site, including refurbishment of some of the colliery buildings and structures. The main headgear structure on the right has already benefited from this.

Alan Murray-Rust

Foxfield Light Railway at Dilhorne Colliery, 1970

A shot taken during the early days of the Foxfield Light Railway, for comparison with those of the present day SJ9744 : Dilhorne Colliery. This was at the time the railway's operating centre, using many of the sidings in the former colliery area. These have since been removed, basically leaving only the main line. Several of the colliery buildings visible in this picture no longer exist, and the spoil heap has been landscaped.

Alan Murray-Rust

Dilhorne Methodist Church

Dilhorne Methodist Church in Godleybrook was built in 1816. It is part of the Cheadle Methodist Circuit.

Ian Calderwood

Old Engine Farm

The area around this farm was extensively mined for coal. In the 1770s, two Newcomen-type steam engines, known as "fire engines", were built to pump water from a nearby mine.

Ian Calderwood

Bank Top Farm

Ian Calderwood

Little Bank Top Farm

Ian Calderwood

Junction of Tickhill Lane and Bank Top Road

Ian Calderwood

Summerhill House

Ian Calderwood

Farm Crossing on the Foxfield Steam Railway

The Foxfield Railway was built in 1892-1893 to provide a link to the national railway network for the Foxfield Colliery. It is now a preserved steam railway run by the Foxfield Light Railway Society.

Ian Calderwood

Blake Hall Fisheries near Brookhouses

These 30 acres of fishing lakes have been created in stages since 1990 by local farmer John Heath.

Jerry Evans

Overgrown pond near Dilhorne

This small pond is beside the crossing of several footpaths. It may have been connected with long-closed Blake Hall Colliery which was nearby.

Jerry Evans

All Saints church, Dilhorne

The Grade II listed Church of All Saints at Dilhorne has one of the few octagonal towers in the country. The lower part of the tower was built in the early 13th century while the remainder of the church dates from the late 13th century.

Jerry Evans