Path through Lizzie Brice's Strip

Image: © Ian Dodds Taken: 23 Feb 2021

This path is strangely unmarked on all maps, as are a few other paths in this narrow stretch of woodland. Lizzie Brice (actually Bryce when she was alive) must have been something of a local character - she died in 1865, aged 89, but by 1895 these trees had already been named after her. Contrary to popular belief she was not a witch and in fact spent most of her life married, and had a number of children. Somewhat sketchy historical surmising leads those that have looked into it in more detail to state that she was probably a tall no-nonsense woman, who lost it a bit in her later years. The fact that it is known she took in female orphans from poor-houses when a widow in her 80s must only have added to her formidable reputation, as these girls must no doubt have had a few good first-hand stories to tell! She and her husband used to have a few cattle which they would let roam the wood that now takes her name. She lived and died in Raw Cottage, which no longer exists, but can be seen on old OS maps (it is easiest to figure things out by overlaying maps on the great NLS website). It was situated just North of the gates at the entrance to the big electricity distribution station, which put it at the corner of a T-junction of what would have been two fairly major roads in their time. The Northern section of the wood is called Raw Strip, and both are maintained by community volunteers.

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