Ancient Woodland
Swithland Wood is classed as Ancient semi-natural woodland. Medieval ridge and furrow shows that most of the area was once cleared of trees, and used for growing crops. Documentary evidence of its use as woodland dates back to 1512 by which time at least part of the site was established woodland. It was probably not 'planted', but simply recolonised the soon-abandoned farmland. However it has been woodland continuously since then, primarily managed through coppicing. It was subdivided into compartments known by various names: Great Lynds, Little Lynds, Dunham Lynns, Hollgates Wood, Slate Pit Hey and Slate Pit Hill. The woodland was part of the Grey family's Bradgate Estate throughout their time as earls of Stamford. In 1880 they had 26 woodlands on the Bradgate Estate and these were an integrated part of the Grey estates throughout the 17th to 19th centuries. The earliest known use of the name 'Swithland Wood' is in a schedule of 1772. The name now covers all of the Grey estate woodlands on this site. Adjoining the woods on the east are two areas of woodland in Swithland Parish, historically known as Stocking Wood and Whites Wood. These were part of the estates of the Danvers family, and then the earls of Lanesborough. These two woods remain private, and are not part of the Swithland Wood public woodland, although they are part of the designated SSSI.
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