BLACK HOVEL SPINNEY

The complete spinney is covered by a Group Tree Preservation Order, it is on private land and surrounded by fields. The origin of the name has not yet been discovered.

On an 1885 map it shows the date of planting as February 1884 so this is the most accurate way of dating this spinney. Difficult to read but the date can be made out on this 1885 map.

Although not on the more recent map you can see a building marked on the 1885 map so could this be the hovel that gives the spinney its name?

2006

The trees are mainly a mixture of Oak and Ash with additional species, some now very invasive. There is a mature Oak with a girth of 3.3 metres just inside the boundary which was most likely part of the field that was taken for planting this spinney.

A visit was made at the end of April 2006 and the following species were recorded:

TREES AND SHRUBS
Oak
Ash
Hawthorn
Holly
Elder (invasive)
Scots Pine
Snowberry (invasive)
Sycamore
Elm (re-generating on the boundary hedge)

Sweet Violets in June 2006

It was lovely to still find violets in Rothley and these were photographed in Black Hovel Spinney in April 2006.

FLOWERING PLANTS
Sweet violet
Bluebells
Red campion
Nettle
Garlic mustard
Dog rose
Common cleavers
Burdock
Herb bennet
Wild arum
Fern sp.
Lesser celandine

MAMMALS
Evidence of badger, fox and rabbit.

BIRDS
Great spotted woodpecker
Blackcap
Willow warbler
Song thrush
Blackbird
Robin

At the far end of the spinney where access is easier there is evidence of ridge and furrow with the trees planted on the ridges.

A further visit will be needed to see how the wildlife develops but access becomes very difficult as the season progresses due to increased growth and fallen trees.

The previous survey at Black Hovel Spinney was done in August 1988 and the following narrative recorded:

This spinney is mixed woodland in which there must have been some elm as there are now considerable gaps in the canopy and Ulmus glabra is regenerating in places. The present canopy is predominantly Quercus robur (Common Oak) but with a good scatter of conifers, Larix sp.(Larch) and Pinus nigra (Black Pine sp.). Also recorded:
Fraxinus excelsior (Common Ash)
Ilex aquifolium (Holly)
Sambucus nigra (Elder)
Arum maculatum (Lords and Ladies)
Chamaenerion augustifolium (Rose-bay Willowherb)
Silene dioica (Red Campion)
Zerna ramosa

The above report is part of a field by field survey of Rothley Parish carried out July-September 1988 by P.A.Evans.

Information at June 2006