SOLD: Mail Wood £69,000 Freehold
- Langley Heath, near Maidstone, Kent
- 7 ½ acres
- South East England
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One of several mature oak standards
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Chestnut coppice
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A pollarded chestnut
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A rustic bench in a small clearing
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Birch amongst the chestnut
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A private walk track in Mail Wood
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The ride stop entrance to Mail Wood
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A young oak
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A mature oak among the chestnut
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The public footpath to the west of Mail Wood
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The permissive path (in the south of the wood)
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The stoned track leading to the entrance
Description
Mail Wood is an ancient woodland featuring sweet chestnut coppice with mature oak standards. Mountain ash, birch, hawthorn, holly and hazel are also found in the wood. A rustic style bench has been installed in a clearing amongst chestnut, birch and oak a short walk from the ride stop entrance. A stoned track leading to the entrance of Mail Wood provides all year-round vehicular access. Level and with tracks to the east and west sides of the wood management of the wood can be easily undertaken. The chestnut has been well-managed in the past and is suitable for coppicing in the future; or how about trying charcoal making?
Adjoining Mail Wood (to the north) is Arrow Wood. Arrow Wood (7 ¼ acres) is a sweet chestnut coppice wood and is currently available for sale.
It is worth noting that woodland owners may be able to get relief from Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax. More information on this can be found here.
The purchasers of the woodland will be asked to enter into a covenant to ensure the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of adjoining woodlands and meadows.
Trees
This sweet chestnut coppice wood features the occasional oak standard. The chestnut is mixed age with the west side of Mail Wood being ready for cutting in approx. 11 years, and the east side of the wood in approx. 5 years. Of course, it will conveniently regrow. The sweet chestnut would provide a good source of firewood, or durable timber for making fencing and posts. An owner could easily find a local coppicer to help cut the wood, standing timber is sought after and would provide a small income with no restocking obligations / costs. Other species found include mountain ash, birch, hawthorn, holly and hazel.
Mail Wood has been designated as Ancient Replanted Woodland (PAWS) by Natural England. This land has been wooded since at least 1600AD. Mail Wood is part of a larger Local Wildlife Site - you can find out more about this here.
There is a Management Plan for Abbey Wood (of which Mail Wood is a part) – details of this are available upon request. The Management Plan is not mandatory, but it is full of good advice, and a lot of background information which will certainly be interesting and useful.
Wildlife
Crossbills, sparrow hawks, buzzards, kestrels, green and great spotted woodpeckers, nightjar, redstart, spotted flycatcher and wood warbler have been recorded in the local area.
Features
- A level wood with great access.
- Good quality sweet chestnut coppice which has previously been well-managed.
- Plentiful supply of timber for produce such as fencing and posts, or firewood.
- Other broadleaf species including oak, mountain ash, birch, hawthorn, holly and hazel.
Access, tracks and footpaths
Access to Mail Wood is via a single metal gate off the country road in the southeast of the wood. A stoned track leads to the ride stop entrance to the wood. Here owners are able to drive in and park a car within Mail Wood. There is a second gate entrance on the southwest corner of the wood. This leads to a public footpath running north - south just inside the west boundary of Mail Wood.
Woodlands.co.uk have granted permission for local walkers to use the walk track in the south of Mail Wood noted as a ‘permissive path’ on the map, and the track to the east (outside the boundary of Mail Wood).
Rights and covenants
The wood is sold with the sporting rights.
The owner of Mail Wood will be asked to enter a covenant to ensure the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the wood.
Activities
- Harvesting chestnut for firewood.
- Green woodworking, why not try your hand at bodging!
- Charcoal making.
- Managing a coppice woodland.
- Building hides and observing the wildlife.
Local area and history
Maidstone is approximately 5 miles from Arrow Wood and the Grade I Listed Leeds Castle is less than 2 1/5 miles nearby.
Wood maps
This wood is now sold, please do not visit the wood without the permission of the owner.
Find this wood
This wood is now sold, please do not visit the wood without the permission of the owner.
Location
- OS Landranger: OS No. 188
- Grid ref: TQ 816 513
- Nearest post code: ME17 3GZ
- GPS coordinates: 51.2326, 0.600317
Location map
Directions
Please note, for satellite navigation, use the post code ME17 3GZ. This will take you to within approx. two hundred meters of Abbey Wood North as shown by the red dot on the map. Coordinates to the main entrance gate leading to Mail Wood off Gravelly Bottom Road are: N51.231798, E0.600684. To find the wood follow the instructions below.
- From the M20 Junction 8 head east along the A20 towards Leeds Castle.
- After approx. 1/3 mile turn right at the roundabout onto the B2163 (signposted Leeds Castle). Follow this road approx. 2 miles through Leeds and Langley.
- In Langley take the 2nd turning on the left onto Ulcombe Road. The post code will take you to this road.
- Once on Ulcombe Road, drive approx. 300 meters until you reach a fork in the road. Take the road to the left – Gravelly Bottom Road.
- Continue past the first single metal gate on the left-hand side until you reach the second metal gate (also on the left-hand side) with ‘Woodlands for Sale’ sign on it. There is a passing place opposite this gate where you can pull in and park off the road.
- Walk round the gate, down the stoned track approx. 100 meters and Mail Wood is to the left with its boundaries marked in RED. Here you will find the ride stop entrance, together with the Mail Wood sign.
- Sat Nav note: The post code ME17 3GZ is for the point shown on the location map by the red dot which is further west back along Ulcombe Road.
How we support our buyers
Membership of the small woodland owners’ group
£300 for a woodland course of your choice
One year's free membership of the royal forestry society
Please note this wood is owned by woodlands.co.uk.
Our regional managers are often out working in our woodlands, so if you email an offer and want to be sure it has been received, please phone our manager on their mobile phone. The first offer at the stated price which is accepted, whether by phone or email, has priority.
Please take care when viewing as the great outdoors can contain unexpected hazards and woodlands are no exception. You should exercise common sense and caution, such as wearing appropriate footwear and avoiding visiting during high winds.
These particulars are for guidance only and, though believed to be correct, do not form part of any contract. Woodland Investment Management Ltd hereby give notice under section 21 of the Estate Agents Act 1979 of their interest in the land being sold.
A plentiful supply of firewood, a manageable size and great access make this wood an attractive opportunity for a new owner looking for a chestnut coppice woodland.
