About the reserve

The McAlmont Reserves consist of four small nature reserves between Compton and Binscombe. These include Farncombe Wood, Glebe Wood, Hayden's Copse and Pucks Oak Barn & Orchard.

The Elizabeth McAlmont Memorial Trust was set up to care for the sites in 1985 by Elizabeth McAlmont's mother, Kathleen McAlmont, a keen environmentalist who was a teacher at Compton village school. Following Kathleen’s death, ownership was passed to the Trust in 1994.

Pucks Oak Barn & Orchard

In 1993, the McAlmont Trust purchased a derelict builder's yard and ancient barn, with remnants of historic orchard.

The cleared site was replanted with lovely old fruit varieties and the barn restored and named after Kathleen McAlmont's cottage.

Barn hire

The Barn is available for hire for a variety of functions including meetings, events & celebrations. The building has a disabled toilet, kitchen and WiFi, with outdoor seating and access to the orchard.

To book Pucks Oak Barn please email info@surreywt.org.uk or call 01483 795440.

Hayden’s Copse

Hayden’s Copse is a former smallholding site, cleared of fly-tipping in the early 1990s and replanted with specimen trees.

Glebe Wood

Glebe Wood is comprises predominantly of an English oak canopy and an understorey of hazel and holly. Bluebells, wild garlic, wood anemone and yellow archangel can be found on the woodland floor.

Farncombe Wood

Like Glebe Wood, Farncombe wood comprises mostly of English oak, with a good display of spring wildflowers including bluebells.

Hayden's Copse

Hayden’s Copse is a previous kitchen garden, which was then used for builders’ rubble. It now has a mixture of planted trees including silver birch, hawthorn and beech, as well as a Norway maple in the center of the site. Ground flora includes ground elder and arum.