Online
Learning
Resource
- Get directions
- Share This
- Report an Issue
- prev
- next
Educational Offer
High-quality learning outside the classroom in inspirational spaces. We provide high-quality learning outside the classroom experiences in inspirational spaces that can help unlock children’s learning potential and bring out the best in them. Learning in Essex Country Parks is fun, active and covers a wider curriculum scope. Activities are also designed to promotion children’s personal and social development.
www.explore-essex.com/schools-and-groups/schools
Please note that Pond Dipping and Pitfall Traps are not allowed on this site as it is SSSI designated.
Links to Topic Activities
Site Contact Details
-
Email: explore.essex@essex.gov.uk
-
Tel: 01277 211250
Location
The Avenue, Warley, Brentwood CM13 3RZ, UK
Site Summary
226 hectares (558 acres)
Ancient woodland and historic deer parks
Thorndon North is woodland on a gravel ridge
Thorndon South is open parkland on clay soil
Includes Old Thorndon Pastures, which is farmland that has been restored to a traditional farming landscape with small hedged fields, grazed by cattle
Site History
Lord Petre created a deer park at Thorndon Old Hall in 1414. The Old Hall ruins, Pigeon Mount and earthworks of The Menagerie still survive., although they are not visible to the untrained eye.
In the 18th century, a new house was built, and Capability Brown was employed to reshape the formal gardens into a more ‘natural’ looking landscape.
Today the house has been converted into apartments and the main Thorndon Hall grounds is golf courses.
The wider parkland is managed by Essex County Council as Thorndon Country Park.
Land of the Fanns Teacher Briefing
Some sites have a Teacher Briefing available at the top of the page, but the following download is a general Teacher Briefing for The Land of the Fanns. We recommend you download this briefing before visiting any of the sites listed on this resource.
Download Teacher BriefingGallery
Landscape and Habitat
Ponds
Ancient woodland
Parkland
Marsh
Meadow
Wildlife
Common toad
Great spotted woodpecker
Nuthatch
Green woodpecker
Palmate newt
Smooth newt
Common frog
Woodland birds
Migrant birds such as bramblings, Siskins and Redpolls
Butterflies including the uncommon Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks
Plants and Trees
Ancient trees including Giant Oak and Hornbeam pollards
