History

Perivale Wood – History

A written record of the Wood dates back to 1227 in the Victoria County History, and it is an ancient woodland. The definition of ‘ancient woodland’ is that the site has existed as woodland since 1600 (Rackham 1989). It does not mean that the trees are as old. It is a traditional English oak woodland, with a rich variety of species including hazel, elm, wild service, willow and ash.

The Wood was known in earlier centuries as Braddish, Braddidge, or Broad Hedge Wood, reflecting the broad hedgerow along the eastern side of the wood which marks the boundary between the parishes of Greenford and Perivale. Confusingly, Perivale Wood itself is actually in the parish of Greenford.