Wollaton Park boasts impressive tree avenues that contribute significantly to its landscape and historical character.
These tree avenues are not just aesthetically pleasing; they are integral to the park’s historical design, providing formal approaches, framing views of Wollaton Hall, and offering valuable habitats for wildlife. They represent a conscious effort over centuries to shape the landscape and create a grand setting for the Elizabethan mansion at its heart.
Lime Tree Avenue.
Leading from the Hall to Middleton Boulevard, planted circa 1700.
Digby Avenue.
Leading from the Hall to Harrow Road, planted around 1838 by Digby Willoughby.
Elizabeth Avenue.
Path from the Stableblock to the Hall. Planted 1980 for the Queen mothers birthday.
Sweet Chestnut Avenue
Planted between 1697 and 1720 as two double rows of Sweet Chestnuts. Now two single rows. Most of the trees are replacements; one or two may be original.
A favourite of the Deer in Autumn.
Hall to Wollaton Village.
Planted by Francis Willoughby (naturalist) between 1664 and 1666. Originally comprised of 8 rows of Oak and Sweet Chestnut trees, it now consists of only 4 rows, with many trees having been replaced.
508 Cafe to Golf Course.
While a few trees by the entrance are shown on maps from over 100 years ago, the tree line all the way to the top of the hill is more recent. A mixture of trees, mainly Oak varieties. At the top of the hill is a mini-Arboretum with several one-off specimen trees.
Formal Garden to Lake.
There were two distinct plantings of Common Lime Trees down to the lake. The first was around 1700, and then again about 100 years later in the first half of the 19th century. There are also some more recent 21st-century replacements.
Parkside Entrance to Lake.
The Oak Avenue from Wollaton Park’s Parkside entrance offers a picturesque approach to the lake. Planted between 1960 and 1970.
Lake to Derby Road.
Planted with Oak Trees sometime after the 1955 Royal Show.
Avenue History
The engraving by Kip and Knyff (1720) gives an indication of the history of the avenues.
- At 1 o’clock on the picture from the hall we can see the line of Sweet Chestnut trees.
- At 3 o’clock, the avenue of trees leading towards Wollaton village
- At 7 o’clock, the starting point of Digby Avenue.
- At 10 o’clock, Lime trees leading from the formal garden to the lake.
- At 11 o’clock, the avenue that once existed here is no longer present.