Burnham Beeches

Burnham Beeches is a large woodland of 374.6 hectares west of Farnham Common in the village of Burnham, Buckinghamshire. The southern half belongs to the Corporation of London and is open to the public. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation. The land was bought by the City of London Corporation after an 1879 auction failed to sell it. Sir Henry Peek later sold part of the land to the Corporation for £6,000, keeping the enclosed portion for himself. Roads were improved to give better access, one of them named after Sir Henry. The woodland is mainly beech, regularly pollarded so many trees are several hundred years old. Deadwood and ancient trees support wildlife, with more than sixty rare or threatened species. The area is protected as a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Seven Ways Plain hill fort lies in the south-west, a rare single-rampart earthwork from the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. It is a Scheduled Monument and shows how people once used the land. Filmmakers often choose Burnham Beeches for its natural beauty and nearby studios. Films like *Goldfinger*, *Harry Potter* and *Maleficent* were shot here. Filming is limited to twenty days a year to protect wildlife, and fees help maintain the site. The beeches also inspired the name of Burnham in New Zealand and a local football club. Quiet paths wind through the trees, past ancient pollards and the hill fort, offering a peaceful place to walk.