Birchen Shaw

Wood, Forest in Surrey Tandridge

England

Birchen Shaw

Holt Wood, Chelsham (2) Plenty of oaks in this woodland. — Holt Wood, Chelsham (2) Credit: Stephen Richards

Birchen Shaw is a picturesque woodland area located in Surrey, England. Situated near the town of Wood, it is often referred to as Birchen Wood or Birchen Forest due to its dense tree cover and natural beauty. Spanning approximately 200 acres, Birchen Shaw is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, and wildlife enthusiasts.

The forest is primarily composed of birch trees, which give the area its name. These tall and slender trees create a stunning canopy, providing shade and shelter for a diverse range of flora and fauna. Walking through the forest, visitors can enjoy the peaceful ambiance and the soothing sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind.

Birchen Shaw offers various trails and pathways for exploration, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings. The woodland is home to a rich ecosystem, with numerous species of plants and animals inhabiting the area. Birdwatchers can spot a variety of avian species, including woodpeckers, thrushes, and owls, while keen-eyed visitors may also catch a glimpse of deer, squirrels, and other woodland creatures.

In addition to its natural beauty, Birchen Shaw also holds historical significance. The forest has been carefully preserved over the years, maintaining its original charm and character. The local community actively participates in the conservation efforts, ensuring that the woodland remains a haven for both wildlife and visitors alike.

Overall, Birchen Shaw in Surrey is a serene and enchanting woodland area that offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Its lush vegetation, diverse wildlife, and well-maintained trails make it a perfect destination for nature enthusiasts looking to reconnect with the great outdoors.

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Birchen Shaw Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.336488/-0.030395391 or Grid Reference TQ3761. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Holt Wood, Chelsham (2)

Plenty of oaks in this woodland.

Stephen Richards

Oak, Chelsham

Splendidly intricate and convoluted branches of one of many oaks in Holt Wood.

Stephen Richards

Former water tower, Chelsham

All that remains of the former Warlingham Park Hospital, a psychiatric hospital which closed in 1999. A free-standing Venetian-style campanile of polychromatic brick designed by G.H. Oatley and W.S. Skinner. Grade II listed. The rest of the site is now an upmarket, gated housing estate of no architectural interest.

Stephen Richards

A study in brown

A lone walker crosses a ploughed field following footpath 587, or actually the straight line version customarily used - the legal line bends somewhat across the field for no obvious reason.

Robin Webster

Field alongside Old Farleigh Road

Great Farleigh Green is just north of Warlingham and west of the rather scattered hamlet of Farleigh. This field is near the south end of the green, on the opposite side of Old Farleigh Road, which is beyond the belt of trees on the right.

Marathon

The Vanguard Way approaching Farleigh Church

Ian Nairn in 'The Buildings of England: Surrey' says of Farleigh - "Tiny hamlet on the North Downs, quite unspoilt - almost the most rural in Surrey. This extraordinary place is four miles from the centre of Croydon, eleven from the Isle of Dogs, and almost within sight of some of the worst sprawl in the country at New Addington." St Mary's Church is "as surprising a survival for Surrey as the village: Simple village-Norman, fairly gently restored, with new chancel arch and simple new bell-turret. All stuccoed, and not a window later than 1250. Nave and chancel c.1100." Basil Cracknell in 'A Portrait of Surrey' writes about Farleigh - "My favourite oasis is Farleigh, with its tiny Norman church of St Mary's, damaged badly by fire in 1964 but still standing, as it has stood for 850 years, the smallest and one of the oldest churches in Surrey." Farleigh resisted its incorporation into Greater London in the 1960s so fiercely that it won its case and stayed in Surrey. "The essence of Farleigh's claim was that it was not an oasis at all, since it did not lie within the desert but belonged to the green country beyond it. Farleigh they said was rural in character, had been rural for all its recorded history, and wanted to stay that way - and they won their case." St Mary's Church is just beyond the trees in the centre with the church car park on this side of the trees - see Link

Marathon

Farleigh Church seen from Greatpark Wood

Ian Nairn in 'The Buildings of England: Surrey' says of Farleigh - "Tiny hamlet on the North Downs, quite unspoilt - almost the most rural in Surrey. This extraordinary place is four miles from the centre of Croydon, eleven from the Isle of Dogs, and almost within sight of some of the worst sprawl in the country at New Addington." St Mary's Church is "as surprising a survival for Surrey as the village: Simple village-Norman, fairly gently restored, with new chancel arch and simple new bell-turret. All stuccoed, and not a window later than 1250. Nave and chancel c.1100." Basil Cracknell in 'A Portrait of Surrey' writes about Farleigh - "My favourite oasis is Farleigh, with its tiny Norman church of St Mary's, damaged badly by fire in 1964 but still standing, as it has stood for 850 years, the smallest and one of the oldest churches in Surrey." Farleigh resisted its incorporation into Greater London in the 1960s so fiercely that it won its case and stayed in Surrey. "The essence of Farleigh's claim was that it was not an oasis at all, since it did not lie within the desert but belonged to the green country beyond it. Farleigh they said was rural in character, had been rural for all its recorded history, and wanted to stay that way - and they won their case." St Mary's Church can just be seen above the trees in the centre with the church car park on this side of the trees beyond the horses - see Link The Vanguard Way is just the other side of the fence on the left - see Link

Marathon

Scotshall Lane, near Warlingham

Scotshall Lane is a minor lane through countryside in north-east Surrey. National Cycle Network route 21 turns off onto a track to the left, as indicated by the blue signs.

Malc McDonald

Farleigh Court Road, near Warlingham

Farleigh Court Road is a narrow lane through countryside in north east Surrey. The small blue sign attached to a tree to the left of the road indicates the route of National Cycle Network route 21.

Malc McDonald

NCN21 near Warlingham

This bridleway in Surrey countryside forms part of the route of National Cycle Network route 21

Malc McDonald

Old Farleigh Road, Warlingham

Old Farleigh Road heading into Warlingham, in north east Surrey. The signs indicate that the speed limit changes to 30mph here

Malc McDonald

Bridleway and footpath junction in Greatpark Wood

A bridleway heads left towards Church Lane, near Chelsham. A footpath leads right towards Ledgers Lane, Chelsham.

David Anstiss

Footpath beside Greatpark Wood

A path leads from Farleigh Court Road beside the wood towards Harrow Road near Chelsham.

David Anstiss

Footpath beside Chelsham Tower Estate

A path leads from Farleigh Court Road beside Greatpark Wood towards Harrow Road near Chelsham.

David Anstiss

Warlingham Park Hospital Water Tower, Chelsham

This large Grade II listed tower is the remains of Warlingham Park Hospital, a mental asylum. Now a clock tower in the Greatpark housing estate. See Link

for more details about the tower. See Link

for more details about the hospital.

David Anstiss

Warlingham Park Hospital Water Tower, Chelsham (2)

This large Grade II listed tower is the remains of Warlingham Park Hospital, a mental asylum. Now a clock tower in the Greatpark housing estate. See Link

for more details about the tower. See Link

for more details about the hospital.

David Anstiss

Warlingham Park Hospital Water Tower, Chelsham (3)

This large Grade II listed tower is the remains of Warlingham Park Hospital, a mental asylum. Now a clock tower in the Greatpark housing estate. See Link

for more details about the tower. See Link

for more details about the hospital.

David Anstiss

Gates to Warlingham Park Hospital Cemetery

As seen from Greatpark Housing estate (built on the disused hospital). The plaque on the iron gates reads "Croydon Mental Hospital From 1937 Warlingham Park Hospital 1903 - 1999 Great Park Wood Cemetery 1903 - 1960"

David Anstiss

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Birchen Shaw is located at Grid Ref: TQ3761 (Lat: 51.336488, Lng: -0.030395391)

Administrative County: Surrey

District: Tandridge

Police Authority: Surrey