Astley Gorse

Wood, Forest in Warwickshire North Warwickshire

England

Astley Gorse

St Michael's Church, New Arley The Arley Colliery Company began mining coal locally in 1905. In the 1920s it built a company village of six hundred houses, called New Arley, and, in 1928, a company church to serve it, the Church of England parish church of St Michael. The style could perhaps be called colliers&#039; baroque. See the Victoria County History of Warwickshire, Vol. 6 pp8-12, which doesn&#039;t give the name of the architect <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol6/pp8-12" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol6/pp8-12">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span> . — St Michael's Church, New Arley Credit: A J Paxton

Astley Gorse is a picturesque woodland located in Warwickshire, England. Situated near the village of Astley, it covers an area of approximately 200 acres and is known for its rich biodiversity and natural beauty. The gorse, a spiny evergreen shrub, dominates the landscape with its vibrant yellow flowers that bloom throughout the year.

The woodland is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species. Ancient oak trees are scattered across the area, providing shelter and nesting sites for various bird species such as woodpeckers and owls. The forest floor is adorned with a colorful carpet of bluebells, wild garlic, and ferns during the spring season.

Astley Gorse offers several walking trails and pathways, allowing visitors to explore its tranquil surroundings. The peaceful atmosphere and the sound of birdsong make it a popular spot for nature enthusiasts and walkers alike. It is also a favored destination for photographers, offering countless opportunities to capture the beauty of wildlife and flora.

The woodland is managed by local authorities to preserve its natural habitat and promote sustainable conservation practices. In recent years, efforts have been made to restore and maintain the biodiversity of the area, including the reintroduction of native plant species and the creation of wildlife habitats.

Astley Gorse, with its stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife, offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Whether visitors seek a peaceful walk, a chance to observe wildlife, or simply a moment of tranquility in nature, this woodland in Warwickshire provides a welcome retreat.

Show me another place!

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Astley Gorse Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.502921/-1.5616118 or Grid Reference SP2989. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

St Michael's Church, New Arley

The Arley Colliery Company began mining coal locally in 1905. In the 1920s it built a company village of six hundred houses, called New Arley, and, in 1928, a company church to serve it, the Church of England parish church of St Michael. The style could perhaps be called colliers' baroque. See the Victoria County History of Warwickshire, Vol. 6 pp8-12, which doesn't give the name of the architect Link

A J Paxton

Catholic church of St Joseph, New Arley

The church stands at the western end of the former mining village, an area known as Gun Hill or Spring Hill. It was built in 1996 to designs by John D Holmes. It replaced a nearby timber church of the 1920s. See the Taking Stock site, which describes the new church as 'flexible in character and modest in architectural aspiration.' Link

A J Paxton

Arley industrial estate and Arley Wood

The industrial units are viewed from the path from Spring Hill to Daffern's Wood; they occupy the site of Arley Colliery, which closed in 1968. Arley Wood blankets the horizon. This ancient woodland was replanted with conifers in the 1960s, apparently to provide pit props for the mine; see SP2891 : A young oak tree among the conifers, Arley Wood.

A J Paxton

Daffern's Wood, New Arley

Situated on the western edge of New Arley, Daffern's Wood is roughly triangular in shape and about three hectares in extent. According to the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust it is an ancient semi-natural wood which has been documented back to around 1600. It is a Local Nature Reserve. Link

. A public footpath passes below the wood, which can be entered from the stile visible at the left of the picture.

A J Paxton

Birch and hazel in Daffern's Wood

For more information on this Local Nature Reserve see SP2889 : Daffern's Wood, New Arley.

A J Paxton

New Arley seen from Gorsy Spinney

From the birch trees of the spinney a footpath runs southwards to Wood End, following the edges of fields and passing the eastern tip of New Arley village.

A J Paxton

Birch trees at Gorsy Spinney, Arley

A path runs through the wood on the edge of the football ground at Hill Top. public footpaths lead from here to Astley and Wood End.

A J Paxton

New Arley reflections

The path from New Arley to Wood End runs along the edge of a large field, which was very wet after heavy autumn rain.

A J Paxton

Lost in a muddy field, Wood End

Well, I knew where I was on the map, but had lost the footpath. North Warwickshire has some good walking country, but signposting is often poor. The path had crossed a ditch and a field boundary without warning.

A J Paxton

Field path, Wood End

At last, a signpost, though the sign itself was broken and faded.

A J Paxton

E D Thompson, Wood End Lane

A former village store awaits a new use - probably housing, like the converted chapel nearby.

A J Paxton

Birmingham Road, Ansley

The 'Slow down think!' sign is labelled 'Warwickshire Police' and 'Warwickshire County Council'. The speed limit here is 30mph.

Stephen McKay

Old Arley with church tower

So named to distinguish it from the neighbouring mining village of New Arley, Old Arley predates the modern coal industry by centuries. St Wilfrid's church was built in the 14th century and was restored in 1873; see the listing at the Historic England site Link

A J Paxton

Former village school, Old Arley

Arley acquired a free school in 1875, according to Wikipedia Link

; this was presumably the building, now converted into housing.

A J Paxton

Yew arch, Arley churchyard

Two yew trees growing to either side of the gates to St Wilfrid's churchyard form a pointed arch. The tree to the right seems to be having a bad hair day (or perhaps a bad hair epoch, since these are yews and very long-lived).

A J Paxton

Ash trees by the lane to Arley House Farm

A row, almost a small grove, of ash trees flourishes between the lane and a small brook that flows around landscaped former colliery land. For how much longer, though? The threat of ash dieback makes me want to photograph ash trees to record them for posterity.

A J Paxton

Football pitch at Hill Top

The woods at Gorsy Spinney can be seen beyond the recreation ground.

A J Paxton

Hedge Laying the old fashioned way at Hill Top

The gentleman almost hidden in the centre of the picture, is doing an outstanding job , laying this very overgrown hedge, the way it has been done for hundreds of years, not just chopping it off with a chainsaw.

Mick Malpass

Show me another place!

Astley Gorse is located at Grid Ref: SP2989 (Lat: 52.502921, Lng: -1.5616118)

Administrative County: Warwickshire

District: North Warwickshire

Police Authority: Warwickshire