Blenheim estate to be roamed by 'wild' cattle for first time in a century in bid to revive oak forest

The Blenheim estate will be roamed by 'wild' cattle for the first time in a century in a bid to revive the ancient oak forest.

Visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of the 44 rare white cows and the bull which will freely roam a private part of the Oxfordshire estate.

The High Park is a wooded area within the grounds which was originally created by King Henry I as a deer park in the 12th century.

It is the first time the woods have been grazed by livestock for more than a century and it is hoped their re-introduction will encourage new tree growth.

High Park is home to the greatest number of ancient oak trees anywhere in Europe.Around 90 per cent of the woodland is made up of oak trees and it is thought that at least 60 of them date back to the middle ages.

The modern British white cattle breed can claim direct links with the ancient indigenous wild white cattle of Great Britain.In the early 20th century the number of herds dropped to just seven with less than 150 individual cattle remaining.

However today, thanks to a resurgence in interest in rare and heritage breeds, their numbers have increased more than ten-fold.The reintroduction of the cattle is part of Blenheim Estate's Land Strategy - a plan that explores innovative ways to protect, utilise and open access to the 12,000-acre estate over the coming years.

Richard Tustian, Blenheim Estate's herdsman, said: "The cattle are a traditional and low-tech way to control the growth of bracken within the woods.

"Historically livestock would have roamed across much of the Estate, including the woods, and by bringing them back we're hoping to ensure these incredibly important ancient oak woodlands continue to survive and prosper for centuries to come.

"By trampling down the bracken and other undergrowth they will clear spaces for acorns from the ancient oaks to germinate and grow.

"High Park has been recognised as one of the most biodiverse habitats in the UK.The ancient woodlands support hundreds of different protected and notable species including around 190 different types of beetle and 21 butterfly and moth species."

Other wildlife recorded in the forests includes otters, water voles, lizards, grass snakes and great crested newts.