Comments on: The Ghost of Workers Past: Delving into the history hidden in your woodland Part 1 http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/ A blog about woodland activities, outdoor skills and conservation Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:04:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Brown http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-3463 David Brown Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:10:41 +0000 http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/practical-guides/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/#comment-3463 Garth I suspect this is one of those features which it will be very difficult to interpret without seeing them in context. Do you know what the underlying geology of your wood is, as this could have a bearing? How long are they and do they follow other features (eg banks)? Do they cross the wood? Where are the ends in relation to (a) the edge of the wood and (b) working areas either inside the wood or beyond the boundary? My own wood is in the Weald and I would be happy to come and have a look at your ditches. Get in touch via david@sewaf.org.uk Cheers David Garth

I suspect this is one of those features which it will be very difficult to interpret without seeing them in context. Do you know what the underlying geology of your wood is, as this could have a bearing? How long are they and do they follow other features (eg banks)? Do they cross the wood? Where are the ends in relation to (a) the edge of the wood and (b) working areas either inside the wood or beyond the boundary?
My own wood is in the Weald and I would be happy to come and have a look at your ditches. Get in touch via david@sewaf.org.uk

Cheers
David

]]> By: Garth Hudson http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-3457 Garth Hudson Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:26:29 +0000 http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/practical-guides/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/#comment-3457 David, Thank you for a very interesting series of articles. One feature in our woodland in the Weald which has puzzled us is the occurrence of double, and in places, triple ditches running in parallel. These are not straight and run across as well as down slopes. The wood is recorded on the earliest 16th century maps and from various old documents goes back much further so these will not be field features. We shall be investigating further but wondered if you had any ideas on what these parallel ditches may be. Yours, Garth Hudson David,

Thank you for a very interesting series of articles. One feature in our woodland in the Weald which has puzzled us is the occurrence of double, and in places, triple ditches running in parallel. These are not straight and run across as well as down slopes. The wood is recorded on the earliest 16th century maps and from various old documents goes back much further so these will not be field features. We shall be investigating further but wondered if you had any ideas on what these parallel ditches may be.

Yours,

Garth Hudson

]]> By: David Brown http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-2915 David Brown Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:23:25 +0000 http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/practical-guides/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/#comment-2915 The larger the scale of the map, the more accurately you can plot what you've found, so 1:2500 is absolutely ideal. In fact, it's much better to use a map at the scale it was printed, because in the process of enlarging you enlarge any inaccuracies in the printing. lines get thicker, and so on. Some HER (Historic Environment Record) officers prefer to have features plotted on an accurate map to grid references, so if you are getting them recorded on the HER, the more accurate the better. My emphasis in this series of articles is to use the absolute minimum of specialist gear to keep costs down. In addition not all readers of the article will necessarily own a wood and have a large scale map. The larger the scale of the map, the more accurately you can plot what you’ve found, so 1:2500 is absolutely ideal. In fact, it’s much better to use a map at the scale it was printed, because in the process of enlarging you enlarge any inaccuracies in the printing. lines get thicker, and so on. Some HER (Historic Environment Record) officers prefer to have features plotted on an accurate map to grid references, so if you are getting them recorded on the HER, the more accurate the better.

My emphasis in this series of articles is to use the absolute minimum of specialist gear to keep costs down. In addition not all readers of the article will necessarily own a wood and have a large scale map.

]]> By: Richard http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-2912 Richard Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:59:12 +0000 http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/practical-guides/the-ghost-of-workers-past-delving-into-the-history-hidden-in-your-woodland-part-1/#comment-2912 Most woodland owners would have maps already, a copy of their Land Registry title plan which would most likely be at a scale of 1:2,500. This plan may not have a grid but 100 metres at this scale is 4cm so it's easy to add a grid. Also if owners are contemplating applying for Woodland Management Plans or EWGS from the Forestry Commission then maps would be provided by the FC at a scale of 1:5,000 with a grid. The maps are based on Ordanance Survey County Series or the newer digital Superplans. Would it be correct to assume these maps would be suitable for archaeological surveying? Most woodland owners would have maps already, a copy of their Land Registry title plan which would most likely be at a scale of 1:2,500. This plan may not have a grid but 100 metres at this scale is 4cm so it’s easy to add a grid. Also if owners are contemplating applying for Woodland Management Plans or EWGS from the Forestry Commission then maps would be provided by the FC at a scale of 1:5,000 with a grid. The maps are based on Ordanance Survey County Series or the newer digital Superplans. Would it be correct to assume these maps would be suitable for archaeological surveying?

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