Officially known as Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Wood, this 3.7ha oak woodland was planted by Richard Garth, Lord of the Manor, in the 1860s for his hunting activities.
It was closed off to the public until 1990 and designated a Local Nature Reserve by Merton Council in 1994. ‘Millennium Clump’ extended the wood east as part of a national tree planting campaign. A diverse range of flora can now be found in the wood, including ancient hedgerow species. It is a Borough I Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.
Usually twenty or more species breed in the wood every year, including Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Sparrowhawk. More if you include the riverine birds along the Beverley Brook. Rarer species found here include Tawny Owl and Tree Creeper. In recent years Firecrest have increased in winter, attracted by the amount of holly that has developed.
The wood is also the best place to observe three areas mostly closed to the public. The gas holders themselves, Kingshill Nature Conservation Area and the Beverley Brook.
Sparrowfeld Patch 