In the medieval period, Leighfield Forest was an extensive
Royal forest straddling the borders of
Rutland and
Leicestershire. It included large numbers of sizeable wooded areas, which would mostly have been individually enclosed. The Forest also included roads, villages and farmland so was not ideal for Forest administration. It had been created soon after
Henry I became king in 1100 and it was initially known as the Forest of Rutland (although a significant portion was in Leicestershire).
Sauvey Castle, near
Withcote, was probably built by King John in 1211 as a secluded
hunting lodge. In 1235 all the Leicestershire sections were released from Forest Law, and in 1299 an eastern section was similarly disafforested. Removal of many hedgerows during the 20th century has made the Leighfield woodlands increasingly isolated, but the
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust's 'Living Landscape' project has targeted Leighfield as one of its landscape-scale projects, and is working with the
Forestry Commission to create new woodlands that can act as links between the ancient sites. Several fragments have been designated a
Site of Special Scientific Interest as
Leighfield Forest SSSI. ==References==