Ramblers, dog walkers and families walking off their Christmas dinner will be able to enjoy Savernake Forest’s 4,500 acres completely free of traffic for one day only.

The Earl of Cardigan, David Brudenell-Bruce, whose family own the land, has announced that the popular forest on the edge of Marlborough will be closed to all vehicles on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

This closure, which will last for one day only, must happen every year and is due to a technicality that affects private estates across the county.

“As is common with many other private estates that are open to the public, Savernake has to shut its 4,500 acres to all vehicles on one day a year,” explained the Earl.

“This is in order to protect their private status and prevent the creation of a Public Right of Way. In Savernake we always pick the first working day of the year.”

Pedestrians are still being welcomed and encouraged to walk through the ancient forest and take in its beauty as it would have been back in the days before cars, lorries and buses.

“Although cars have to be turned away that day (apart from residents and delivery vehicles) many local people tell me that it’s one of the very best days to walk in the Forest,” added the Earl.

“Because in the total absence of traffic, you can walk along the avenue without having to get up onto the verge each time a car comes past, and the forest is wonderfully quiet that day."

The Earl has been the hereditary warden of the forest since 1987, and the land has been in his family since 1067 when it was bestowed on them by William the Conqueror.

The main road through the forest is The Grand Avenue, at 4.3 miles dead straight the longest avenue in Britain according to the Guinness Book of Records.

It was laid out by Capability Brown in the 1780s, and it saw over 200,000 visitors a year - the last time a census was done some 15 years ago.

The ancient Big Belly Oak tree which is located in the forest is also a popular site for visitors, estimated to be between 1,000 to 1,100 years old, according to the Woodland Trust.

This means the tree is older than William the Conqueror, born in 1028, who defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings.

The forest is administered by trustees, and since 1939 the timber of the forest has been managed by Forestry England on a 999-year lease.

Though it is private property, Earl Cardigan and his son Viscount Savernake, permit extensive public access, transforming the private forest into a beautiful family day out.