Sandholes Wood

In 1772 Beilby Thompson, the lord of the Manor of Wheldrake, enclosed his land, most of which was still being farmed as four open fields. The commons to the north and west were all enclosed and given to Thompson. Only a small sandy area of common was left to the villagers, "for the getting of sand". This area of common land to the west of the Wheldrake Lane, leading to York, still belongs to the Parish of Wheldrake and is managed by the Parish Council on behalf of the village as a small plantation. Being, as the name suggests, sandy soil; it attracts both rabbits (who find it easy to make their burrows in) and rampant bracken! Both create management problems and thus a warden is assigned to help with this management.