Bearfoot Wood and Crocketts Hole, May Hill

This area on the south-east slopes of May Hill has much of interest. Today, much of the area is covered in trees, but this has not always been the case – the 1840 tithe map shows that Crockett’s Hole Inclosure was farmed. There are many features which can indicate the history of this area – as the short walk described below indicates.

Our exploration of this fascinating area starts by the water reservoir at the top of the spur off Folly Lane, May Hill. (1) This marks the boundary of three parishes - Longhope, Newent and Taynton. Just up a track beyond is Bearfoot Cottage - earlier in the 20^th C this was renowned locally because the occupant bred silver foxes, which were popular for making fur stoles.(2)

We now head up the track towards the summit of May Hill and by the gate into NT property we are at the site of the old White Horse Inn, which served the drovers in past times.(3) This was established by Benjamin Bennett, a horse dealer and drinks merchant, who was notorious because he set fire to gorse on the hill in 1865 ! Nearby, through the fence edging the woods to the north-east is a dipwell which would have provided a water supply for the inn, whilst opposite is a small pool fed by a spring which would have been used by the animals.

Heading into the woods along a small track just below the gate we are close by the site of Crocketts Hole. (4) This was a cave and an interview with an old lady, Mary Mayo, in 1884 recorded that it was accessed by 15 steps. “Rumour has it” there was a tunnel from here, and even treasure! But a more likely local tale tells that in the 16^th C local Protestants held clandestine meetings there to avoid the edict of Queen Mary I that all her subjects be Catholic, and that a local, Edward Horne, who had converted to Protestantism hid in the hole with his friend, Mr Crockett, but later was found and burned at the stake in Newent. It appears today that the hole has been partly filled in – perhaps when the area was planted with trees in the 1940’s.

If we head into the adjacent woods we are in a cathedral! (5) This was planted as a memorial to the son of Major Ackers, erstwhile owner of Huntley Estate which encompasses the wooded part of the old Inclosure. Information about the cathedral planting can be found here http://notabletrees.blogspot.co.uk/ Further to the north east we encounter a track heading up to the summit – alongside of which are the fine stone remains of an old building.(6) These remains, clearly shown on the 1840 Tithe Map, were associated with the era when this defined area of Crockett’s Hole Inclosure was open land used for grazing. Its north east boundary, now deep in the woods, is visible because of an old hedge line which is still obvious through the woodland, and just beyond it a wet seep has been utilised for a water supply with the construction of a dipwell lined with bricks. (7) This is documented in http://dipwells.blogspot.co.uk/ Heading up beyond the fence onto the grassland (which is very wet!) towards the summit, the old Inclosure is still marked by the old hawthorn hedge and a mound/ditch.(8)

According to Joe Watkins the area back into the woods and down the track past the building remains, was open fields until it was planted with trees after the First World War. We soon arrive at a junction of five tracks where there is a large beech tree. (9) This is on the Parish boundary between Longhope and Newent, and the tree was probably planted to mark the boundary. It is also noteworthy because of the graffiti scored into its bark by people with knives – these are now known as arborglyphs, and more information can be found on the website describing the notable trees of the area, including information about an interesting second world war depiction. We are now heading north, following the ancient Parish boundary bank alongside the main track (now part of the Greenways network) along the eastern edge of Bearfoot Wood. It is thought that the name Bearfoot derives from the stinking hellebore, though none are known to grow in the wood today. As the wood is within Longhope parish, it was for many years under the ownership of Longhope Manor, and managed in association with Hope Wood to the south of Longhope village. Changes came after the Longhope Inclosure Act of 1874 and the manors of Huntley and Longhope, which had been held jointly by the Probyn family since 1740, were split when Huntley Manor was sold to the Ackers in 1884. Today, much of the woodland is owned by the National Trust and composed of sweet chestnut of various ages and stages of management. Much of it has been coppiced. The area has clearly seen much varied activity in the past – there is an extensive area of old quarries, now overshadowed with large trees.(10) Some of the quarries on May Hill may have provided the coarse sandstone used to make quern stones found in Iron Age (and earlier) contexts across Gloucestershire. However, most of the past activity is best exemplified by some old oak coppice stools to be found in the wood, and a network of a couple of dozen or so charcoal hearths. These are areas that have been excavated to provide a flat platform for the fire and usually still contain darkened soil and small pieces of charcoal. It was the production of charcoal from these woods that was the most important activity for centuries. There are also other signs of this history. Not far above the eastern boundary of the wood, about half way along its length, is a dipwell, known locally as Drussells Well,(11) the output from which flows across the track and feeds down into the valley known as Jacob’s Ladder. (12) Just above the well are the obvious stone remains of an old dwelling (Joe Watkins recounts there used to be four dwellings at this location). Alongside the dwelling remains is a charcoal hearth.

This dwelling, almost certainly associated with charcoal production, is not the only sign of human habitation in these woods. Deep in the woods above Drussell’s Well are the stone foundations of an old dwelling which is thought to be that depicted on a map of 1717. (13) As the map shows a dwelling with its own entrance track it must have been of higher status than a charcoal burner’s hovel, but no other details are known. Interestingly, the map also names the wood as Fairfoot Wood.
The woods are similar to many in the vicinity in having a wonderful carpet of bluebells in season. They are also known to support a healthy population of dormice.

Head straight uphill through the woods from here, crossing a track there is a place to cross the fence into the open land at the top of the Hill. Close by are other remains of a dwelling (14). This is also shown on the 1840 Tithe Map and was associated with another inclosure, still defined by a faint bank and old hawthorns. This area has a particularly rich flora including orchids and adders tongue fern.

You can return to the start of the walk over the top of May Hill.