Ancient woods have been providing for humans for centuries; and traces can be found of their use for fuel, shelter, hunting and keeping livestock. Other traces of human activity have simply become incorporated within the wood over time, such as settlement, defence, transport and old field systems.
Significant human traces may be documented, or scheduled as Ancient Monuments. Other features may be found on old maps, or records held by local councils. However, most will only be discovered by going out into the wood.
On the ground features may be obvious, such as walls, dams and buildings. Others may only appear as bumps and hollows in the ground that do not fit with the slope or soil conditions around them. Straight edges are also likely to be man-made. Traces may also be found in the trees and plants themselves; there may be obvious species introductions, or signs of coppicing or pollarding. More subtle signs may show up as areas of distinct vegetation, such as nettle patches, where buried features have altered soil characteristics.
These can be easiest to see in winter, when there is little vegetation.
Where to find them
- Within the woodland defensive ditches, burial sites and more recent industrial archaeology, such as charcoal pits and mine adits, can found
- At the woodland edge or between compartments old ditches, roads and woodbanks may have been protected by the tree cover.
- Some human traces will be under the trees, for example ridge and furrow from medieval agriculture
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