Geology Site Account

Soken Wood is a relatively new native broadleaved woodland created in November 2000. Because of the woods close proximity to The Naze, which is rich in fossil plants from the London Clay, part of the site has been planted up with exotic species of prehistoric origin. The trees planted are stands of monkey-puzzle and ginkgo, with individual specimens of witch hazel, magnolia, oriental plane, tulip tree and dawn redwood.

Soken Wood is owned by The Woodland Trust and is open at all times. There is an information board and parking.

A giant, mature monkey-puzzle tree is nearby in the private grounds of Kings Farm on Sneating Hall Lane (TM 204 219). It can be seen clearly from the road.

A 28 millimetre (one inch) long fossilised leafy shoot from a monkey puzzle tree (Araucarites) found in the London Clay. It is preserved in pyrite and over 50 million years old. A small grove of these ‘living fossils can be seen at Soken Wood. Photo © The Palaeontological Association.