Woodland for sale

Reamy Wood offers a wide variety of broadleaved trees and is surrounded by quiet private woodland on three sides, with open fields to the west. A stoned track leads from the gate to the ride stop entrance to Reamy Wood. Flanked by wildflowers this track is a haven for butterflies and insects. An owner is able to drive in and park a car within the wood itself. A rustic style bench has been installed in a private clearing, a perfect spot for spending time quietly with nature. Ancient woodland indicators including bluebells, wood anemone and primrose are found in early spring.

Reamy Wood is situated approx. 7 miles southwest of Ashford and about 1 mile from the village of Shadoxhurst. It is within the Kent Weald located between the North Downs and Romney Marsh. It is part of a larger wood known as Post Wood which itself forms part of an extensive block of predominantly ancient semi-natural woodland. To the north of Post Wood lies Stone Wood, a small Kent Wildlife Reserve.

Trees

Reamy Wood features a mixture of hornbeam coppice, birch and oak coppice with some willow and aspen in wetter parts. There is a seasonal pond in the east of the wood – which is currently overgrown. This provides a wonderful opportunity for a new owner to restore and as a result enhance the biodiversity of this peaceful woodland.

The management plan notes that the site was owned by the Forestry Commission in the post-war years (when it was planted with conifers), before being sold into the private sector. The conifers were felled in the late 1980s, possibly following windblow as a result of the 1987 storms. It appears that following harvesting, the wood was allowed to regenerate naturally, resulting in the current rather even aged native broadleaved woodland.

The hornbeam and birch could be thinned; the oak coppice could be ‘singled’ to create future standards; and the standard oak trees could be halo thinned and retained where possible. It is worth noting that Woodlands.co.uk offer £300 towards a course for a new owner. Please note the £300 will be available for any course that relates in some way to managing or enjoying a woodland, for example, butterfly identification, chainsaw training (strongly recommended by us especially if you are likely to use a chainsaw in the woods) or coppice management.

Reamy Wood has been designated as Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) by Natural England. This is woodland that has been under constant tree cover since at least 1600AD. It is valued as a rich reserve of biodiversity. There is an approved Management Plan and Felling Licence for Post Wood (of which Reamy Wood is a part) – details of this are available upon request. The Management Plan is not mandatory, but it is full of good advice, and a lot of background information which will certainly be interesting and useful. There is a Tree Preservation Order on Post Wood (details of this TPO are available upon request), though this does not prevent normal forest management when covered by a Forestry Commission approved woodland management plan.

Wildlife

The Woodland Wildlife toolkit suggests the range of bird species including garden warbler, spotted flycatcher, willow warbler, lesser redpoll, lesser spotted woodpecker and woodcock might be present within the woodland. There is plenty of opportunity to enhance the habitat for wildlife here, from the simple provision of bird and bat boxes to the management of the tree cover and ground flora.

Features

- An ancient semi-natural mixed broadleaf woodland.

- Privately owned woods to the south, east and north.

- A pond suitable for restoration.

- A small clearing and a rustic bench.

- Quiet and tranquil.

Access, tracks and footpaths

Access to Reamy Wood is via a byway open to all traffic (BOAT) which leads to the single metal gate (an owner will be provided a key for this locked gate). A stoned track leads from the gate to the ride stop entrance to Reamy Wood. Here owners are able to drive in and park a car within the wood itself. The byway is stoned for most of its length and suitable for vehicular access, although it is pot-holed in places.

There are no public footpaths within the woodland itself.

Rights and covenants

The wood is sold with the sporting rights.

As is the case for all our woodlands, the purchaser will be asked to enter into a covenant which serves to protect the peace and quiet of the woodland.

Activities

- Learning all about woodland management

- Installation of bat and bird boxes

- Private family camping

- Charcoal making

- Learning bushcraft skills

- Or simply immersing in the great outdoors

Local area and history

The nearest village of Shadoxhurst dates back centuries, with the earliest written record from 1239 when the parish name was spelled 'Schettokesherst'. There are many interesting places to visit within the area; from vineyards to safari parks, historical houses to pubs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Approx. 8 miles to the west is Biddenden Vineyard – which features a shop and offers tours and tastings at certain times of the year. Port Lympne is approx. 10 miles away - a fantastic safari park which is well worth a visit. South of nearby Tenterden is Smallhythe Place, a 16th-century house and cottage gardens which includes a museum and occasional theatrical productions. Back in Shadoxhurst there is traditional country pub called The Kings Head.

Reamy Wood has recently been named after a type of stained glass (antique glass with cords of wavy, irregular surface and large bubbles) in homage to the 13th century church located in nearby Shadoxhurst.