Lesnes Abbey Woods

Lore of the Wild Writing Retreat
2025-01-11 14:00 (Europe/London) | London
Join @bernadetterussell and @sophiejanesnaps from @loreofthewild in the heart of the woods for a series of outdoor creative writing workshops that will bring you closer to the wild within and without.
Start your new year with hope and inspiration.
This series of four workshops starting 11th January. Continues 18th 25th January and finishes on 01 February 2025 for adults will offer prompts and inspiration and gift you time to explore different perspectives and styles of writing whilst immersing yourself in the ancient woodland around you. They are open to anyone whether you are a professional writer already, have no experience at all, or if you are merely curious- everyone is welcome
Each session will take place outside and under cover in The Clearing, Lesnes Abbey Woods new outdoor learning space, around a roaring fire!
Lesnes Abbey Woods is an area of ancient woodland on the edge of London. Easily accessible by Thameslink and Elizabeth Line trains, this unique green oasis offers dramatic views across London, and dense wooded areas to get lost in. Walk though the ruined abbey and dig in the prehistoric fossil pit; those who came before are never far away and from Buzzards to woodpeckers, foxes to hedgehogs, the woods are alive with wild neighbours to bring you closer to the wildness inside you.
Your wild guides
Bernadette Russell is a performance storyteller who works in the oral tradition. She is the author of six non-fiction books, the latest “Conversation on Kindness” to be released March 2025 published by Elliott and Thompson. She has also written many plays, most recently for immersive theatre company Teatro Vivo. For them she created COMMON, a play with songs and poems about the enclosures acts of the 1600s featuring an army of ghost trees, an animal choir and many local historical characters. She is currently one of the storytellers at Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire, and one of the the creative writing tutor at Treadwell’s Books. Previously she has told stories at many venues including Royal Albert Hall, Southbank Centre and National Theatre, as well as in the woods, parks and wild places of London and Hampshire.
www.bernadetterussell.com | @bernadetterussell

Christmas Crafts in the Clearing
2024-12-23 10:00 - 12:00 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Join Woodland Whispers under the canopy in The Clearing for some festive Christmas Crafting, marshmallows and some hot chocolate. What better way to spend a relaxing morning before the bustle of Christmas, making festive decorations in the woods at Lesnes Abbey. Some for all the family to do together. £9 per person. To book your places please email You need JavaScript enabled to see this email address.

Winter Wreaths
2024-12-12 10:00 - 15:30, 2024-11-30 10:00 - 15:30 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Brighten your room and heart in these dark winter months with beautiful wreathes and garlands made from locally sourced materials. Enliven your senses and spaces with fragrant, natural flora you have foraged to add to your creations.
Join us for this bracing and creative activity in our woodland workshop, beneath our canopy and beside a roaring fire. These ensure you are kept dry and warm, with a constant supply of hot, seasonal and foraged drinks. All included in the price.
In these inspiration sessions, your host Stephen will introduce and demonstrate a variety of materials and techniques that can be used to create a magnificent winter wreath.
Each Workshop is 2 1/2 hours starting either at 10am or 1pm. They are running on 30 November or 12 December.

Family Whittling Workshop
2024-11-16 10:00 - 13:30 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
This 1 1/2 hour workshop is for children and an accompanying adult to start practising whittling wood with special carving knives. Sessions start either at 10am or 1.30pm.

There will be plenty of advice so you can continue this hobby safely at home together, using the correct tools.
One ticket admits one adult and one child.
Each child must be accompanied by an adult who will supervise them and work with them the entire time.
The session lasts an hour and a half. Please arrive about 10 minutes early for a prompt start.
This workshop is carried out at “The Clearing”, an outdoor purpose-built creative space in Lesnes Abbey Woods. Boots and sturdy footwear must be worn (no open toed shoes). All protective equipment is supplied. Whatever the weather, the workshop will proceed, except under high wind conditions or lightning.
Our central open fire and large parachute canopy will keep you warm and dry while you whittle.

Fossil Digging
2024-10-30 10:00 - 16:30 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Calling all young palaeontologists! Join us at Lesnes Abbey’s very own fossil pit for 1 and 1/2 hours of fossil digging. You will have the chance to discover and take home fossils such as shells and shark’s teeth which are approximately 55 million years old. You will be provided with all the equipment and guidance needed to find the fossils and identify them. There are three sessions to choose from:-
10am-11:30am
12:15pm-1.45pm
2:30pm-4pm

Bowl Carving 1 day introduction
2024-09-29 10:00 - 16:00 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Turn a log of locally sourced wood into a hand carved bowl in a day!
You will be introduced to the hand tools that make this process possible, including an axe and carving gouges.
This is a physically demanding carving day. No experience necessary, just plenty of enthusiasm and stamina!
This workshop is carried out at “The Clearing”, an outdoor purpose-built creative space in Lesnes Abbey Woods.
Boots and sturdy footwear must be worn (no open toed shoes). All protective equipment is supplied. Whatever the weather, the workshop will proceed, except under high wind conditions or lightning.
Our parachute canopy and central, open fire will keep you warm and dry as you carve.
This is a full day workshop, 10am – 4pm.
Please bring a packed lunch and a flask.
There are toilets on site, as well as fresh drinking water.

Half day introduction to Spoon Carving (beginners)
2024-09-28 10:00 - 16:00 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
This beginner’s class in spoon carving introduces you to the art of carving with an axe, a knife and a crook knife.

By carving a spoon, you can focus on becoming familiar with the tools of the craft without the pressure of knowing what to carve.
As you gain confidence with the tools, you begin to build a relationship with your small scale carving and understand the subtle and addictive qualities of this new hobby.
We will use green wood, freshly cut with a high moisture content. This is a beautiful and easy way to carve wood.
You are supported through the whole process and encouraged to explore carving in your own way and at your own pace. This is an exercise in slowing down and settling your attention.
All tools and materials are supplied and at the end of the session you will have your first carving started.
This workshop is carried out at “The Clearing”, an outdoor purpose-built creative space in Lesnes Abbey Woods.
Boots and sturdy footwear must be worn (no open toed shoes). All protective equipment is supplied.
Whatever the weather, the workshop will proceed, except under high wind conditions or lightning.
A large parachute canopy will keep you dry and a beautiful central fire will keep you warm. A kettle on the fire will provide hot drinks to fuel you during this session. All included in the price.

Songs from the Movies with West End Stars
2024-09-22 14:30 - 16:30 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Ruined Theatre Presents: SONGS FROM THE MOVIES WITH WEST END STARS
Come and relax in the atmospheric ruins of Lesnes Abbey and be transported through the ages of film through top musical hits.
We will be bringing you top songs from your favourite films from Funny Girl to Cabaret to Dirty Dancing. This is an afternoon for everyone to relish the celebration of some of our best movie musicals through the ages and soak up the last of the summer evenings.
Our cast has over 100 years of experience between them and includes Changing Ends star Nancy Sullivan (credits include Eponine in Les Miserables, Eliza in My Fair Lady, Little Voice in Little Voice and many more), Gary Watson (Strictly Ballroom), Jenna Boyd (Come From Away) and Connor Sheridan (Scrooge).

Sculptural Willow Weaving Animals
2024-09-20 10:00 - 16:00 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
In this willow weaving workshop, we will look at willow in its dry and wet states and begin to handle and learn techniques to manipulate it. Once we have a good understanding, we will then immerse ourselves into the wonderful rhythm of weaving.
You will be introduced to creating an animal that is able to be kept in a garden or green space. As an individual, you can work independently on a small piece or in a friend/family group to create more ambitious scaled work. Remember it has to fit in your vehicle at the end of the session!
At Creative Nature HQ, we also provide unique opportunities to groups or businesses to create artworks that can be donated to community groups and schools. Helping to enrich you local area with some fun and environmentally conscious creatures that delight passers-by of all ages.
You take home special memories, new skills and an improved wellbeing.
This all takes place at our beautiful, new outdoor teaching space in Lesnes Abbey Woods. Under a large parachute canopy and around an open fire, you will be kept warm and dry while you weave.
Whatever the weather, the workshop will proceed, except under high wind conditions or lightning.

The Clearing Launch Day
2024-09-14 11:00 - 16:00 | The Clearing, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
The Clearing Launch Day
14 September 10am – 4pm
The Clearing, New Road, SE2 0AX
Celebrating the official opening of The Clearing our new woodland outdoor classroom and activity space with free activities for families and children.
Willow Weaving with Creative Nature HQ 10am – 4pm (drop-in session)
An opportunity to have a go at learning the heritage craft of willow weaving in the beautiful setting of The Clearing. Using soaked willow whips you will be shown how to mould and shape this nature material into different shapes and forms.
The Wishing Tree” 11am and 2pm (approx one hour)
Storytelling session for families and adults. Join author, folklorist, tree planter and storyteller Bernadette Russell in the woods for a magical afternoon of storytelling about the magic and wonder of trees and all the other earthlings that call these woods home. Come celebrate your own wild side and give yourself permission to believe in magic (if only for one afternoon) – absolutely everyone welcome!
What3Words:- super.scope.school or go to Chestnut Kiosk for directions.

Creative Crafters Paper Quilling
2024-07-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Why not come to Lesnes Abbey Lodge to learn the relaxing craft of paper quilling. Our Lodge overlooks the abbey and park and is the perfect location to learn something new in beautiful surroundings. Learn to quill and create a master piece to take home. All materials provided including frame to show off your art work!

Easter Dinosaur Egg Hunt
2024-03-30 11:00 - 16:00 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Lesnes Dinosaur Egg Hunt
Update 28/03/2024
Unfortunately online tickets for Lesnes Dinosaur Egg Hunt have sold out. There will be some limited on the day tickets being sold after 1pm

Space and Time Concert
2024-01-31 19:30 - 22:00 | London
Where do a ruined Abbey, sharks’ teeth, ancient woodland and a glorious park all meet?
In Space and Time, a brand new orchestral and choral piece inspired by Lesnes Abbey Woods, composed by Jeremy Jackman, former Chorus Master of the London Philharmonic Choir and Musical Director of the English Baroque Choir, will be premiering at Blackheath Concert Halls on 31 January 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased from https://www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/lesnes-abbey-orchestral-and-choral-concert/
In between various lockdowns, Jeremy was invited to spend time at Lesnes Abbey Woods to create a new musical piece that reflects this unique site and to work with talent musicians from Bexley Music.
Space and Time will be conducted by Jeremy Jackman and performed by 150 young musicians and singers from Bexley Youth Orchestra, Bexley Choir, Christ Church Choir, and the Choir of St Fidelis Catholic Primary School. Additional music will be performed by Bexley Music ensembles: Bexley Youth Band, Bexley Youth Orchestra, Christ Church Choir, and the Choir of St Fidelis Catholic Primary School.

Lesnes Christmas Celebration
2023-12-02 11:00 - 16:00 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Lesnes Abbey Christmas Celebration is back! With a Christmas Market, workshops, choirs, mulled wine, seasonal fare and Santa visit too! A perfect opportunity to pick up a unique gift or just come to enjoy this lovely festive event.

Abbey Wood Art Fair
2023-09-23 11:00 - 15:00 | Lesnes Abbey Lodge, New Road, London, London, SE2 0AX, United Kingdom
Come to Lesnes Abbey Lodge for the venues first ever art fair. It will be a great opportunity to see great artworks and meet the artists who made them.
