Ford Spinney

Wood, Forest in Bedfordshire

England

Ford Spinney

B5704 London Road towards Woburn — B5704 London Road towards Woburn Credit: Robin Webster

Ford Spinney is a charming woodland area located in the county of Bedfordshire, England. Situated in the village of Ford, this forested area covers a total area of approximately 200 acres. The Spinney is commonly known for its dense and diverse collection of trees, making it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.

The woodland is predominantly made up of broadleaf trees, such as oak, ash, and beech, which provide a stunning canopy of foliage throughout the year. The forest floor is adorned with an array of wildflowers and ferns, creating a vibrant and picturesque setting. The woodland is also home to various wildlife species, including squirrels, foxes, and a wide variety of bird species, attracting birdwatchers from near and far.

Ford Spinney offers several well-maintained walking trails, allowing visitors to explore the natural beauty of the area. These trails range in difficulty, catering to both casual strollers and avid hikers. Along the way, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views, tranquil ponds, and even stumble upon hidden streams. The forest also offers picnic areas, making it an ideal spot for a family day out or a peaceful retreat.

Additionally, Ford Spinney has a rich history, dating back several centuries. It was once part of the ancient Royal Hunting Forests of Bedfordshire, a testament to the area's significance in the past. Today, it remains a cherished natural gem, providing a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Show me another place!

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

Ford Spinney Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.953724/-0.58780802 or Grid Reference SP9729. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

B5704 London Road towards Woburn

B5704 London Road towards Woburn

Farmland, Milton Bryan A footpath through wheat to the north-east of the village.

Farmland, Milton Bryan

A footpath through wheat to the north-east of the village.

Farmland, Potsgrove A bridleway through oats climbs towards the B5704.

Farmland, Potsgrove

A bridleway through oats climbs towards the B5704.

St. Peter, Milton Bryan Rather an unusual church this one. It is almost square with parts of wildly different ages and construction style - and it has a tower made of such closely keened pale stone that it looks like concrete. It is set in a garden-like churchyard. Definitely a one-off. I originally accidentally added a T to Bryan making it Bryant - curiously I now discover that that is an alternative disused name for the village. More info here - <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/archivesandrecordoffice/communityarchives/miltonbryan/miltonbryanchurch.aspx" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/archivesandrecordoffice/communityarchives/miltonbryan/miltonbryanchurch.aspx">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> and <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42456" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42456">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. Peter, Milton Bryan

Rather an unusual church this one. It is almost square with parts of wildly different ages and construction style - and it has a tower made of such closely keened pale stone that it looks like concrete. It is set in a garden-like churchyard. Definitely a one-off. I originally accidentally added a T to Bryan making it Bryant - curiously I now discover that that is an alternative disused name for the village. More info here - Link

and Link

St. Peter's church, Milton Bryan - Western end A close up of the Western end of St. Peter&#039;s church, Milton Bryan showing some of the mix of architectural styles and periods. This is a very odd-looking church. More info. here <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42456#s3" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42456#s3">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. Peter's church, Milton Bryan - Western end

A close up of the Western end of St. Peter's church, Milton Bryan showing some of the mix of architectural styles and periods. This is a very odd-looking church. More info. here Link

Ford Spinney Taken from the A4012 near Battlesden

Ford Spinney

Taken from the A4012 near Battlesden

Hill Farm Sheep These sheep belong to Hill Farm which can be seen in the background. The lane abruptly ends just after this point with a private road continuing to the farm and a track leading to Battlesden.

Hill Farm Sheep

These sheep belong to Hill Farm which can be seen in the background. The lane abruptly ends just after this point with a private road continuing to the farm and a track leading to Battlesden.

St. Peter, Milton Bryan - The Tower Taken from near the gateway into this unusual church&#039;s churchyard.

St. Peter, Milton Bryan - The Tower

Taken from near the gateway into this unusual church's churchyard.

Lane to Hill Farm, Battlesden This lane leads off the Hockliffe Road near Watergate Lodge and goes to Hill Farm (see <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/171948">SP9728 : Hill Farm Sheep</a>). As a track it continues to Battlesden.

Lane to Hill Farm, Battlesden

This lane leads off the Hockliffe Road near Watergate Lodge and goes to Hill Farm (see SP9728 : Hill Farm Sheep). As a track it continues to Battlesden.

Fields near Battlesden Looking across fields to the church and manor at Battlesden (which are in the adjacent square, see <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/183068">SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden</a>). I think the crop is wheat, but as it has not yet produced its ears I&#039;m by no means certain.

Fields near Battlesden

Looking across fields to the church and manor at Battlesden (which are in the adjacent square, see SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden). I think the crop is wheat, but as it has not yet produced its ears I'm by no means certain.

Lane to Battlesden This is the lane to Battlesden having left the main A4012 and travelled a few hundred yards. There is a footpath off to the right (North) at this point which leads towards Milton Bryan.

Lane to Battlesden

This is the lane to Battlesden having left the main A4012 and travelled a few hundred yards. There is a footpath off to the right (North) at this point which leads towards Milton Bryan.

Approaching Battlesden Church This lane runs up to the church at Battlesden (see <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/183068">SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden</a>) then comes to an abrupt halt as a road but continues as a footpath past the church and Battlesden House. The precariously leaning tree on the right looks like a Scots Pine to me. The manor here was once owned by the remarkably-named Sir Gregory Page-Turner who should have been a novelist really !

Approaching Battlesden Church

This lane runs up to the church at Battlesden (see SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden) then comes to an abrupt halt as a road but continues as a footpath past the church and Battlesden House. The precariously leaning tree on the right looks like a Scots Pine to me. The manor here was once owned by the remarkably-named Sir Gregory Page-Turner who should have been a novelist really !

Centre Farm, Battlesden These buildings belong to Centre Farm in Battlesden. The track continues to Hill Farm (see <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/171948">SP9728 : Hill Farm Sheep</a>) and according to my old 1:50000 is marked as a yellow (drivable) lane - but having seen the other end of it I think it would be a little cruel to an ordinary saloon car !

Centre Farm, Battlesden

These buildings belong to Centre Farm in Battlesden. The track continues to Hill Farm (see SP9728 : Hill Farm Sheep) and according to my old 1:50000 is marked as a yellow (drivable) lane - but having seen the other end of it I think it would be a little cruel to an ordinary saloon car !

Battlesden Taken at the hairpin (see map) in Battlesden where the main drivable lane doubles back to get to Battlesden church. In addition to this lane and the track next to <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/183064">SP9628 : Centre Farm, Battlesden</a> there is a more direct footpath here to Hill Farm and a bridleway which heads towards Hockliffe. There are very few properties in this parish which is a very quiet little oasis. It has a church which I think means that it is a village, but there are many hamlets bigger than this !

Battlesden

Taken at the hairpin (see map) in Battlesden where the main drivable lane doubles back to get to Battlesden church. In addition to this lane and the track next to SP9628 : Centre Farm, Battlesden there is a more direct footpath here to Hill Farm and a bridleway which heads towards Hockliffe. There are very few properties in this parish which is a very quiet little oasis. It has a church which I think means that it is a village, but there are many hamlets bigger than this !

St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden Tiny Battlesden&#039;s rather splendid church. Although not particularly large I would think that this church could hold the entire population of Battlesden five times over ! Read more about Battlesden and its church here <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445">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 Peter and All Saints, Battlesden

Tiny Battlesden's rather splendid church. Although not particularly large I would think that this church could hold the entire population of Battlesden five times over ! Read more about Battlesden and its church here Link

House and churchyard, Battlesden The western part of the churchyard at Battlesden is very overgrown with tall grass and cow parsley in abundance. I would guess that the house here - one of very few in Battlesden - was the rectory. As most of the properties here were built on the instructions of the Duke of Bedford, I would think that this one certainly was.

House and churchyard, Battlesden

The western part of the churchyard at Battlesden is very overgrown with tall grass and cow parsley in abundance. I would guess that the house here - one of very few in Battlesden - was the rectory. As most of the properties here were built on the instructions of the Duke of Bedford, I would think that this one certainly was.

Milton Lodge Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445">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>

Milton Lodge

Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here Link

Milton Lodge near Milton Bryan A closer view of the lodge in <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/183076">SP9630 : Milton Lodge</a>
Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42445">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>

Milton Lodge near Milton Bryan

A closer view of the lodge in SP9630 : Milton Lodge Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here Link

Show me another place!

Ford Spinney is located at Grid Ref: SP9729 (Lat: 51.953724, Lng: -0.58780802)

Unitary Authority: Central Bedfordshire

Police Authority: Bedfordshire

What 3 Words

///iterative.neatly.fizzy. Near Milton Bryan, Bedfordshire

Nearby Locations

Related Wikis

Battlesden

Battlesden

Battlesden is a hamlet and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. It is just north of the A5, between Dunstable...

Tebworth Marsh

Tebworth Marsh

Tebworth Marsh is a 5.6-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Tebworth in Bedfordshire. It was notified under Section 28 of the...

Milton Bryan

Milton Bryan

Milton Bryan is a village and civil parish located in Central Bedfordshire (the spelling Milton Bryant was previously common and is still recognised by...

Church of St Peter & All Saints, Battlesden

Church of St Peter & All Saints, Battlesden

Church of St Peter & All Saints is a Grade I listed church in Battlesden, Bedfordshire, England. It became a listed building on 23 January 1961. ��2...

Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 51.953724,-0.58780802

Power: tower

Source: bing

Lat/Long: 51.957569/-0.5850031

The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.

Surrey Belt Surrey

Rickford Common Surrey

Have you been to Ford Spinney?

Leave your review of Ford Spinney below (or comments, questions and feedback).