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Ranscombe Farm Reserve - Cuxton

Nearest town: Rochester

Site type: woodland

Access: Private

Church name:

Diocese:

County: Kent

Country: England

Grid ref: TQ707678

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 2/11/2010

Recorded by: Cliff Hansford / Tay Arnold / Dave May

Protection & responsibility: Owner

Yews recorded at this site: Notable

Notes: Ranscombe Farm Reserve is situated on the North Downs and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The 560 acre site comprises ancient farmland, pockets of chalk grassland and coppice woods. The landscape is very similar today to what it was 200 years ago in terms of its pattern of woodland, hedgerows and fields. The woodlands in particular have been significantly influenced by the need for Sweet Chestnut wood for the hop-growing trade. This may have been the impetus behind the conversion of much of the woodland at Ranscombe from ancient mixed woodlands to Sweet Chestnut plantations probably around 200 years ago. It is amongst the existing Sweet Chestnut woodland that the yews are to be found, the most significant of which are recorded here.

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