History
Roe Wood dates back to at least the year 1600, when it was called “Cockshott Rowe”. A cockshot was an opening cut through a woodland to allow woodcocks and other gamebirds to be caught in nets. Rowe may be from “rough” meaning woodland, or from the Norse word “ruth” meaning clearing. In the 17th century the wood was almost twice as big as it is now. It included the area of the allotments and the sportsground up at the top.
In 1637 the woodland was owned by Gilbert, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. By 1711 it had passed to the Duke of Norfolk. To commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 the Duke gave 20 acres of Roe Wood to Sheffield Corporation for use as a public open space. For a while it was known as Victoria Park. The Corporation bought the remaining part in 1899.
Little was done to manage Roe Wood between the early part of this century and 1989, when Sheffield Wildlife Trust undertook a 3 year project to improve the wood both for wildlife and local people. The Trust has surfaced the footpaths, worked with the Council to thin the trees, cleared litter and streams, installed vehicle barriers and run environmental playschemes and picnics in the wood.
The Route
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Start at the entrance off Norwood Road. The willows on the left were planted in the 1960s. Follow the cinder path track up through the wood, past the turning left to the allotments. The woodland on your left is mainly young oak, which is regrowing well after earlier pollution damage from factories in the Lower Don Valley. There is a patch of heather in here, which is rare for this part of Sheffield. It attracts many insects to its flowers in the Summer.
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On your right is a glade containing picnic furniture (made by artist Vic Brailsford) from beech trees felled in Roe Wood. Carry on up the path until you meet another path going across.
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You are now at the highest point in Roe Wood (130meters above sea level). Note the view of Wincobank. The land that is now Sheffield Forgemasters sportsground used to be a part of Roe Wood. It contained a Roman Camp but this had been cleared by 1923 to make way for a rifle range.
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The path to your left leads across the top of Sheaf Training’s grounds to Little Roe Wood. Return to point (3) and continue along the path at the top of the wood. Notice how small the oak trees on your right are. They have grown up since the 1950s.
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Turn right here down the main path. Meadowsweet and great willowherb grow down by the stream. Japanese knotweed, a notorious problem plant, is present but has not spread much in the last 25 years.
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Look up to your left to see the tree sculpture carved in 1992. The beech trees in this part of the wood were thinned then to allow more light in and encourage grass and bluebells to grow.
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Cross the bridge over the stream and climb up back to the entrance.
Things to look for
