Today, despite being surrounded by the communities of Cannock, Lichfield, Rugeley and Stafford, much of the Chase is also listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Supporting a herd of around 800 fallow deer (most likely descended for the original deer introduced by the Normans) and a number of rare and endangered birds, including migrant nightjars. The local flora also includes the eponymous Cannock Chase berry - a rare hybrid between bilberry and cowberry, and like them, it is edible.
Originally considered unsuitable for settlement some 900 years ago, because the soil was too sandy and poor to support crops, its oak forests were used for hunting. In 1290 the Royal Estates and hunting rights were passed from the King to the Bishops of Litchfield. Later still in the 16th century much of the forest was cut down to provide charcoal for the local iron industry. This left the Chase a barren, bleak looking place, as gazing sheep prevented the natural regeneration of the forest.
Fast forwarding to the 20th century it played host to two large training camps during WWI and an RAF training camp in WWII. Between the wars the Forest Commission began replanting trees giving the mix of coniferous and deciduous trees we see now.
Today more peaceful uses predominate, such as mountain biking, with two technically challenging routes crossing the Chase. Also since 2006 its been one of the venues for the Forestry Commissions open air musical festival, Forest Tour.
Many monuments and memorials to its past can be found. The remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort are visible at its highest point Castle Ring. While its military past is commemorated by both Commonwealth and German war cemeteries. Freda, a Harlequin Great Dane, mascot of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (Earl of Liverpool's Own), stationed here during WWI, has her own grave complete with marble headstone. There is also a memorial to the victims of Katyn massacre, preserved below it are phials of soil from both Warsaw and the Katyn forest.
It has its fair share of myths and legends too. UFO's are frequently seen over Hednesford Hills, where Druids are reputed to have used Castle Ring for sacrifices and ceremonies. Bigfoot, much to the outrage of American's, has been reported wandering the Chase as long ago as 1879, often in the area of Castle Ring. A hot spot for big cat sightings in the Midlands with over 2,000 reports, especially of Black Cats, it also has its very own Hellhound, the 'ghost dog of Brereton’ with strangely glowing eyes. Giant serpents, perhaps abandoned pet pythons, have also been spotted. As well as the odd werewolf reported to be prowling the Chase.
Not forgetting of course its famous resident ghost, the Black Eyed Child. Some believe the ghost to be a victim of the Cannock Chase Murders, one of the three children murdered and buried here in the late 1960's. Although black-eyed children seem to have become a popular urban legend with sightings reported around the world.
It hard to believe given all the above that Cannock Chase AONB has inspired no great poems, works of art or literature, unlike many other AONB's. The only references in popular culture being a track entitled "Cannock Chase" on Labi Siffre's 1972 album 'Crying Laughing Loving Lying' unless you count revelations about Stan Collymore dogging here in 2004.
That said I've just posted a new short-story 'The Sleeping God' on my blog and I'm around 28,000 words into a zombie story I'm working on, neither of which has anything to do with Cannock Chase. Although it does seem to deserve a story or two.