Ridge heritage given £2m support

The Weald Forest Ridge runs from Tonbridge to Horsham Forest Ridge

Ancient woodlands in part of south-east England have been given almost £2m to help protect their heritage.

The Weald Forest Ridge, which covers parts of Sussex, Kent and Surrey, was awarded £1,920,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

A HLF spokesperson said the medieval landscape of rolling hills, woodland, farmsteads, and ancient route-ways is steeped in history, legend and culture.

The grant is expected to help preserve the area for future generations.

The Weald Forest Ridge runs from Tonbridge to Horsham, covers an area of 328 sq km within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The grant will be used to improve access to the important features of the ridge to its 325,000 residents.

Aerial mapping

Councillor Sylvia Tidy, chairman of the High Weald Joint Advisory Committee, said they were "delighted" to receive the award.

She said: "It will enable the partnership to deliver our vision for the Weald Forest Ridge - creating a welcoming and treasured place, where habitat and visitor enhancements, skills creation and training, and the celebration of the Ridge's unique landscape and cultural heritage will enhance the quality of life for local people and visitors alike."

The investment will include work on the surviving fragments of four medieval hunting forests that form the backbone of the ridge, including Ashdown Forest and St Leonard's Forest, where St Leonard was said to have fought a local dragon.

Training on management techniques, educational projects for the public and aerial mapping to reveal archaeological details will also be funded by the grant.

The award was made under HLF's Landscape Partnership Scheme, which highlights the diversity of the UK's geography and its impact on culture.

Michelle Davies, from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the South East, said: "Our landscapes are as much under threat as other parts of our heritage yet we often take them for granted."