Ditchingham’s 155.27 hectare (383.31 acre) woodland is dominated by native broadleaf trees, with oak, hornbeam, birch, ash and hazel being the main species.  Two of our ancient woods are designated as SSSI woodland.

We manage our woodland portfolio with care under a twenty-year plan, as part of the English Woodland Grant Scheme.

There are four principal areas of ancient woodland, all located towards the north of the estate: Hedenham Wood (SSSI), which extends over an area of c.23.5ha; Round Grove, covering 2.7ha; Long Row, 5.5ha; and the vast Tindall Wood (SSSI), around 42ha, with a northern extension, Cooper’s Grove, of 2.2 ha. There are also a number of areas of post-medieval woodland: Bush Grove, to the north of Cooper’s Grove; Bramble Planting; Lake Covert; and Grubswell Plantation, along with more recent plantations.

Tindall Wood (SSSI) is one of the largest hornbeam woods in the county. It is an ancient woodland situated on poorly drained south Norfolk boulder clay which is overlain in places by sandy loam. Surrounded by a massive woodbank and ditch, the wood mainly supports Hornbeam and Oak with Ash, Maple and Hazel. Several uncommon species are found in the ground flora, which indicate that the woodland may be primary.

Hedenham Wood (SSSI) is an ancient woodland situated at the head of a shallow valley on the South Norfolk boulder clay. Much of the wood comprises Oak standards over mixed Hornbeam coppice, but the valley bottom contains wet Ash-Maple wood with stands of Elm. The ground flora is diverse and includes several uncommon species.