History on your doorstep: 9. The Chestnuts

Welcome to the second in my series. This time I’m showcasing my top ten favourite historical stories and features, selected from our ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’ directory.

At number 9 is The Chestnuts, part of Bullbrook Countryside Corridor in Berkshire…

For this week’s post I cannot improve upon the excellent information contained within the Bracknell Forest Council Parks and Countryside Newsletter. Here, I gratefully reproduce a snapshot of the information they provide…

“Residents can enjoy new history information panels at The Chestnuts open space in Warfield.

One panel provides information about the historic icehouse.  This is a brick building with a spherical domed roof covered in earth.  It was once used to store ice during the days of the old Warfield Park estate (see artist’s impression pictured below).  Today, the icehouse is a Grade II listed building.

Information is also provided about the Sweet Chestnut trees that the site is named after.  The once small trees are now large veterans of over 200 years old.”

The Sweet Chestnut is a non-native species introduced from the Mediterranean into Britain, possibly by the Romans, for its bountiful autumn supply of nuts.  From Tudor times it was increasingly planted in Southeast England for the production of hop-garden poles and for fencing.

Further information is provided by Bracknell Forest Council on The Chestnuts page.

For directions, information and more photographs, go to the Bullbrook entry in ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’.

Warden Mike

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