Ockeridge Wood, Holt

Ockeridge Wood is situated on the western edge of Holt parish, adjacent to Little Witley parish. Some authors suggest that the place name 'Ockeridge' is derived from 'Oak Ridge'. This may indeed be the case for Ockeridge Farm near Ledbury, but in the case of the current location the name is actually derived from 'Hawk Ridge'. The latter was first recorded as early as 775, when an Anglo-Saxon charter referred to Hefuc hrycge (= Hawk Ridge). The same charter noted a Hiort burnan (= brook in the wood), a Baer brok (= woodland pasture for swine) and a Dyke and Fearn hege (= dyke and fern hedge), all associated with the wood.. A baerbroc(sic) was again noted in 'hawk ridge' in 962.

At the time of Domesday (1086) a woodland half a league square, which at 566ha would have been half of the parish, was descrided in Holt parish. A hedged enclosure, which would have been for the capture of game such as deer and wild boar, was also noted. The wood was not identified by name, but was called Hawkerydge (= Hawkridge) in a document of 1350. The name 'Ockeridge' is a relatively recent invetnion for as late as 1745 it was know still known as Hawkridge.

The wood has been so subject to human management that its age isn't always readily apparent. Today Ockeridge Wood is approximately 75 ha in area and is split into several lots. For many years in the mid-twentieth century it was owned by L G Harris, the Bromsgrove based paintbrush manufacturer. The company cleared many of the pre-existing trees and introduced alien species such as Poplars and conifers to produce timber suitable for brush handles. When man-made materials largely repleced wooden painbrush handles in the latter half of the twentieth centur, Harris disposed of the wood, along with nearby Monkwood. Native tree species have since regenerated.

A strip throught the western part of the part of the wood has been turned in to 'The Coppice Leisure Park', with holiday homes and a number of touring caravan pitches. The site includes a club and heated swimming pool. Part of the wood is owned and managed by M Goodman Timber who extract and process timber on-site. In April 2006 Messrs Williams took over 10ha of the wood and turned it into a paintball battleground. Shortly after aquistion they stated that the wood it was in a poor state and that they removed old caravans, fly tipping and glass, that they had thinned it certain areas and that they hoped to install wildlife hides and bring about the return of some traditional country crafts, such as charcoal burning and the use of traditional pole lathe turning.

The wood supports some interesting wildlife, including birds such as Woodcock and some scarcer species, such as the Dark Bush-cricket and Hazel Dormouse. The Dark Bush-cricket is a large insect with very long hind legs and no wings. It is mainly found In thick hedges, especially those facing south with a rising bank to give extra shelter. The stridulation is a very high-pitched note but if it can be heard, then it can easily be located in the early evening. Worcestershire is on the north-western edge of its range. The notable Wood White and White Admiral butterflies have also been recored in or very near to the wood.

Dark Bush-cricket

Other birds that occur in nearby Monkwood and also probably in Ockeridge Wood include all three woodpeckers, Stock Dove, Little and Tawny Owl, Nuthatch and Treecreeper. Summer migrants in Monkwood include Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, and Tree Pipit. Siskin and Redpoll are winter migrants. Ravens have made a recent appearance in the vicinity of Ockeridge Wood and Rowley Dingle.

Recently, the mostly mild, damp weather has encouraged fungi to keep appearing throughout the winter and there are some impressive specimens to be seen in Ockeridge Wood, including Chanterelles. The rarely recorded fungus Sirococcus conigenus which is associated with conifers has been recorded in the wood.