With a past as a Roman army depot, medieval deer park and the site of an Iron Age tribal centre, Credenhill Park Wood is steeped in history. Add to that a range paths to explore, terrific views of the Black Mountains, stunning woodland flowers and a variety of wildlife, and this is simply too good a wood to miss.

Wildlife and habitats

Animals

Credenhill Park Wood is a Special Wildlife Site, brimming with a wide range of woodland animals. Fallow, roe and muntjac deer graze in the wood, and grey squirrels and badgers have also been seen here.

Trees, plants and fungi

Drifts of bluebells flourish in the ancient broadleaf areas of the Credenhill Park Wood during spring, along with early purple orchid and herb-paris. You may also catch a whiff of the wild garlic which grows in the wood too. Look out for the striking scarlet elf cup fungi peeking out from the forest floor and deadwood areas during winter.

Habitats

Credenhill Park Wood contains a variety of trees and wild flowers in its areas of ancient semi-natural woodland and wet woodland, and supports a wonderful array of wildlife. There are also areas of conifer plantation.

About Credenhill Park Wood

History

Credenhill Park Wood is steeped in history. At the peak of the wood you'll find one of Britain's large Iron Age hillforts. It is believed to have had a variety of different uses throughout history, from a social centre serving local communities to a medieval deer park.

Parts of the Credenhill hillfort were excavated between 2007 and 2009. Iron Age finds included pottery from the Malvern Hills and briquetage - a coarse ceramic that was used during the production of salt - as well as burnt clay from clay ovens. These finds date the site to around 350 BC. Bronze Age pottery was also discovered, along with other finds indicating that at least part of the hillfort was used by the Roman army during the First Century AD.
HLF support

The generous funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has enabled us to do a lot of important work at Credenhill Park Wood.

One of our long-running HLF projects brought together dedicated volunteers on a series of archaeological investigations which unearthed the story of Roman occupation in the first century AD and discovered the way ramparts were constructed.

HLF has also helped us deliver a tree-removal programme that prevented further damage to the sensitive Iron Age hillfort from uprooting trees.