Wood has been restored to its former glory by developers
AN historic, hundred year old wood in rural Leicestershire has been restored to its former glory by an award-winning local developer.
The three acre wood in Wellsborough, near Market Bosworth, has proud royal connections as it was once owned by King James II and the Queen’s father, King George VI, planted a cedar tree there during a royal visit in 1928.
Years of neglect had seen the wood become overgrown and inaccessible but now Leicestershirebased builders Springbourne Homes has transformed the area, restoring key features and planting a new wild flower garden, and has now incorporated it into its luxury Hornsey Rise development in Bosworth Road, Wellsborough.
Springbourne’s site manager Marc Harding and assistant Chris Clark masterminded the remarkable renovation, with Marc saying: “It was a major undertaking as the wood had been left abandoned for so long but it was well worth all the time and effort.
“We’re really pleased with how it has turned out, the views are amazing, the wood is currently carpeted with bluebells and when the wild flowers are bedded in and established it should all look terrific.
“Most of the residents have already been over here to monitor the progress and they’re delighted with how it’s gone and excited about how it will develop in the coming months and years.
“That makes it all worthwhile and there’s a real feelgood factor for everyone at Springbourne that we’re leaving behind such a legacy at Hornsey Rise.”
Springbourne’s Hornsey Rise legacy also includes the renovation of a World War One Memorial and stylish conversion of a 1930s chapel at the remarkable location that dates back to Lady Godiva and Leofric, Earl of Mercia.
The wood was originally created in the grounds of the former NATSOPA Memorial Care Home, which opened in 1921 to care for retired and recuperating printers King George visited the care home when he was still Duke of York, and met with staff and nurses during a tour of the facilities before planting the
Cedar Tree.
The care home was eventually shut down in 2012 and the wood soon became neglected and overgrown but Springbourne Homes Chairman Adrian Burr pledged to retain and restore the three acre feature when he began to develop the site in 2019.
With Springbourne’s Hornsey Rise development now approaching completion, Marc and Chris have spent two months working tirelessly to clear the wood, cutting back trees, pruning bushes, clearing brambles and weeds, before creating the new pathway.
They’ve also reclaimed the original stone steps and seating area which have now been fully restored with the wild flower garden now planted either side to re-create the scene from a bygone age and encourage bees, butterflies and other insects to the area to help protect our future.
The pair also created a new, rustic focal point at the bottom of the steps with felled tree trunks providing seating around a cleverly constructed selection of reclaimed stones from the old wood.
The work has been completed just in time for the bluebell season with a stunning array of the Spring time flowers covering large tracts of the wood to add even more beauty to the picturesque setting.
The hope is that, when the wildflowers are established and in bloom, the wood will be a fitting reminder of how things used to be a hundred years ago.
For more information about multi-award winning developer Springbourne Homes, visit:
www.springbournehomes.co. uk