SD4415 : Mere Sands Wood
taken 4 years ago, near to Rufford, Lancashire, England
In medieval times the land now occupied by Mere Sands Wood was under Martin Mere, the largest lake in England. At the end of the 17th century the mere was drained to create farmland although it was prone to flooding until a new pumping station was built on the coast in 1961. Mere Sands Wood was planted in the first half of the 19th century and was used for game shooting. In 1958 the wood was sold to a sand extraction company; sand from here was sent to Pilkington’s glassworks in St Helens. The process of sand extraction created the lakes that are here now. The land was acquired by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 1982 as a nature reserve comprising a mix of woodland, heath land, meadow and lakes.