Monument record 9701 - Salcey Forest

Salcey Forest is first recorded in 1206. The present core wood known as Salcey was managed as 24 coppices, fully named and described in various surveys between 1558-1825. The forst was enclosed in 1825-6 after which large areas of the north and south were grubbed up and converted to arable. Earthworks of a wide range of features survive in the wood, ranging from prehistoric enclosures to WWII remains relating to the RAF No 72 Maintenance Unit.

{4} Salcey Forest first recorded by name in 1206. The earliest account of the whole is a description of the 'metes and bounds' of 1298, which refers to woods lying between Ashton and Bozeat; woods belonging to Chadstone, Whiston, Horton and Courteenhall are identifiable. The enlarged forest jurisdiction created by Charles I in 1638 ran from Northampton along the River Nene to Wellingborough, south along the now A509, along the boundary with Buckinghamshire to the River Ouse and up the River Tove to Towcester. It then followed the modern A43 back to Northampton. This area was never entirely covered by woodland, but in the early Middle Ages it was certainly larger than the extent described in 1298. Much inroad was made during the C12th and C13th by assarting, and C14th assarts from Bozeat Woods and Cogenhoe Brand still paid rent to the crown in the early C17th.
The present core wood called Salcey was managed as 24 blocks called coppices, fully named and described in various surveys from 1558-1825. More detailed description given.
The forest was enclosed in 1825-6 after which large areas of the north and south were grubbed up and converted to arable.

{9} Licence to take deer from Salcey Forest to stock the nearby deer park at SP792540 was obtained in 1228-9 by Walter de Preston.

<1> Forest Enterprise, 2001, Salcey and Yardley Chase Forest Design Plan, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101492.

<2> 2001, Appendices: Salcey And Yardley Chase Forest Forest Design Plan, (unchecked) (Appendix). SNN101011.

<2> Hall D.N., 2001, Northamptonshire Woodland Survey Archive, (part checked) (Digital archive). SNN109590.

<3> GOULD J., 1968, Salcey Forest in The 18th Century, (unchecked) (Article). SNN69444.

<4> Hall D.N., 1996, Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Interpretation Survey 1996, (unchecked) (Report). SNN62534.

<5> 1787, Enclosure Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN106227.

<6> 1825, Salcey Forest Draft Inclosure Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN57901.

<7> Gover J.E.B.; Mawer A.; Stenton F.M. (Eds.), 1933, The Place-names of Northamptonshire, p.1 (unchecked) (Series). SNN5881.

<8> Pettit P.A.J., 1968, The Royal Forests of Northamptonshire: A Study in Their Economy 1558-1714, (unchecked) (Series). SNN42130.

<9> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.63 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<10> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<11> Ordnance Survey, 1811-9, First Edition Ordnance Survey Surveyors Drawings, Sheet 229 (Map). SNN104902.

<12> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, First Edition OS 6 Inch Mapping Series (57NE), (unchecked) (Map). SNN106229.

<13> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, First Edition OS 6 Inch Mapping Series (52SE), (unchecked) (Map). SNN106228.

<14> Simmonds C., 2007, Salcey Forest and Yardley Chase Landscape Survey, Northamptonshire April-June 2007 Volume 1: Text, Appendices 1-3, Figures and Plates, (unchecked) (Report). SNN107913.

<15> Hall D., 2001, The Woodland Landscapes of Southern Northamptonshire, p.33-46 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102520.

Record last edited

Oct 5 2026 11:45AM