Hamsterley Forest is a commercial forest in County Durham owned and managed by Forestry England. It is the largest forest in County Durham and covers more than 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres). Recreational activities within the forest are focused at the eastern end, around the visitors' centre. In addition to the visitors' centre, there is a cafe, toilet facilities and cycling, walking and running trails.
During the 1930s, the forest was planted and tracks were built by unemployed men supplied through the Ministry of Labour.[citation needed] Most came from the mining communities and shipyards of the North East of England. They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry, most of them on Forestry England property. By 1938, the Ministry had 35 such centres across Britain. These were basically work camps, where unemployed men carried out heavy labour and lived on site in wooden huts. The centres were closed in 1938 as unemployment declined in the run-up to war, but some of the huts can still be seen around the visitors' centre, which was originally built as the camp's refectory. The visitors' centre was part of a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War.
A number of Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age flint tools have been found in the forest in Doctor's Gate Quarry. An area of the forest is probably the site of a 15th century iron ore processing site. An area next to Linburn Hall Wood was the site of a medieval convent.
An episode of Time Team in 2008 examined a large stone structure known as "the Castles", with walls five metres thick. It appears to date from the late Iron Age and may have been an animal enclosure.[1]
Referencesedit
^"Time Team, Hamsterley". TV.com. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
Further readingedit
Field, John. Learning Through Labour: Training, unemployment and the state, 1890-1920, 1992, University of Leeds, ISBN0-900960-48-5
External linksedit
Forestry England
January 01, 1970
hamsterley, forest, commercial, forest, county, durham, owned, managed, forestry, england, largest, forest, county, durham, covers, more, than, hectares, acres, recreational, activities, within, forest, focused, eastern, around, visitors, centre, addition, vis. Hamsterley Forest is a commercial forest in County Durham owned and managed by Forestry England It is the largest forest in County Durham and covers more than 2 000 hectares 4 900 acres Recreational activities within the forest are focused at the eastern end around the visitors centre In addition to the visitors centre there is a cafe toilet facilities and cycling walking and running trails Hamsterley ForestBedburn Beck in Autumn Hamsterley ForestMapGeographyLocationCounty Durham EnglandOS gridNZ093307Coordinates54 40 19 N 1 51 22 W 54 672 N 1 856 W 54 672 1 856Area2 000 hectares 4 900 acres AdministrationGoverning bodyForestry England Contents 1 History 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksHistory editDuring the 1930s the forest was planted and tracks were built by unemployed men supplied through the Ministry of Labour citation needed Most came from the mining communities and shipyards of the North East of England They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry most of them on Forestry England property By 1938 the Ministry had 35 such centres across Britain These were basically work camps where unemployed men carried out heavy labour and lived on site in wooden huts The centres were closed in 1938 as unemployment declined in the run up to war but some of the huts can still be seen around the visitors centre which was originally built as the camp s refectory The visitors centre was part of a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War A number of Mesolithic Neolithic and Bronze Age flint tools have been found in the forest in Doctor s Gate Quarry An area of the forest is probably the site of a 15th century iron ore processing site An area next to Linburn Hall Wood was the site of a medieval convent An episode of Time Team in 2008 examined a large stone structure known as the Castles with walls five metres thick It appears to date from the late Iron Age and may have been an animal enclosure 1 References edit Time Team Hamsterley TV com Retrieved 2 December 2016 Further reading editField John Learning Through Labour Training unemployment and the state 1890 1920 1992 University of Leeds ISBN 0 900960 48 5External links editForestry England Outdoor Centre West Hoppyland Farm Keys To The Past Hamsterley Forest Tour of Hamsterley Rally Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hamsterley Forest amp oldid 1170845598, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
