St Leonard's Forest is an extensive area of heathland, broadleaf and coniferous forest east of Horsham.
Location: East of Horsham, accessed by car from Hammerpond Road.
Grid Reference: TQ205299(OS Map)
OS Map: 134 (Explorer, 1:25,000)
Terrain: Generally flat or gently sloping, with steep slopes to the east and west of the site. Good trails for walking throughout the year.
Opening Times: All year
Prices: Free
What can I do?
- Walk, ride or cycle on the many forest tracks.
- Bring your children to play amongst the trees.
- Watch for deer and woodland birds.
- Explore the Forest and find out about its fascinating history.
- Join the Friends of St Leonards Forest and become a conservation volunteer.
Where can I park?
Roost Hole car park to the south of the Forest on Hammerpond Road.
What will I see and hear?
- Minepits - remnants of the ancient iron working industry in the area.
- In spring, you can see Lily of the Valley at the Lily Beds.
- Gill streams.
- Purple emperor butterflies in the woods or silver-studded blues on the heathland.
- Rare birds such as nightjars churring in the late evening sky, plus redstarts and wood warblers.
- A variety of other woodland birds, including all 3 species of woodpeckers.
- Pillow mounds - rabbit warrens from around 500 years ago formed to farm rabbits for fur and food.
Where can I get more information?
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Contact the Friends of St Leonard's Forest for information about volunteering.
Site Enhancements 2009 - 2012
For ecological improvements, open, heathy clearings were created on ride edges by removing conifers and scrub. Extensive rhododendron removal was undertaken and the equally invasive bracken was controlled in several areas. Also, temporary fencing was erected in the gill woodland area to allow natural regeneration to take place.
The car park and main access track to Mick Mills Cross were improved, hence making visitor access to and around the site much easier in bad weather.
An in-depth archaeological survey found out fascinating information about the Forest's uses over hundreds of years. Being a former medieval hunting forest, it was never as wooded as it is nowadays. It was obviously once very important for rabbit farming, with many rabbit warrens still evident and one of the site's old names being The Great Warren. Especially at the northern end, it was also heavily mined for iron ore for local furnaces. Use of a LiDAR survey, undertaken by another project in the Weald Forest Ridge LPS, was central to this survey.
Lastly, 3 interpretation boards were installed on site - to provide visitors with more information about the Forest's history, ecology and landscape - and a stunning chainsaw-sculpted dragon seat installed: alluding to the myth of the St Leonard's dragon, slain by the eponymous 6th century hermit.
The 2009 - 2012 site enhancements were funded by the Weald Forest Ridge Landscape Partnership Scheme, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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