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The
Friends of Thynghowe
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News
November 2011 - Great News from the Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund have agreed to support our work until Summer 2013.
We plan to commission an aerial LIDAR survey of the woodlands to take place early in 2012 followed by a programme of public events starting around Easter 2012. Everybody is welcome to come along and find out more about Thynghowe and Birklands.
There will be opportunities to join in the interpretation of LIDAR images and photos, research with documents from archives, on-site surveying in the Forest and preparing leaflets, posters and booklets.
The project will culminate in a festival celebrating the Viking heritage of Sherwood in May 2013.
The official launch of the project will take place early next year but you may like to make a note of these provisional dates
| 14 April 2012 | Volunteer workshop 1 Introducing the strands of project including discussion of LIDAR and photos |
| 21 April 2012 | Annual Perambulation walk to Thynghowe |
| April / May 2012 | Archive training and research at Nottingham Archives |
| 3 November 2012 | Volunteer workshop 2 with ground truthing training and feedback on archive research |
| November 2012 to February 2013 | Ground truthing involving on-site surveying in the woodlands to identify and record the features located by LIDAR |
| March 2013 | Volunteer workshop 3 to include ground truthing debrief and consultation on management options. |
| 20 April 2013 | Annual Perambulation Walk to Thynghowe |
| 19 May 2013 | Viking Spring Thing event at Sherwood Pines celebrating the Viking heritage of Sherwood Forest and promoting the outcomes of the project |
These dates are provisional.
Details of how to book your place on these events will become available early in 2012.
Tell us if you would like to attend but may be prevented by issues like mobility, childcare or transport. We may be able to help.
Let us know if you would like to be added to our email contacts list so that you will receive details of events.
October 2011 - Winter Surveying in Birklands
Between December and early March we hope that the weather will allow us to get out in Birklands to look for features in the woodlands. This is the best time of year for woodland archaeology as the bracken has died down and the low sun combined with lack of leaf cover can reveal humps and hollows that are usually invisible. Get in touch If you are a member of the Friends of Thynghowe and would like to come along. If you are not a member we will be pleased to sign you up for only £5 a year!
July 2011 - Spreading the word about Thynghowe
On July 24th we took our display to the Pageant at the Kings Houses at Kings Clipstone and on the following Saturday we attended the Time Travel Trent Vale event at Newark Castle. It was good to meet some of our members and supporters and there were a lot of opportunities to tell the stories of Birklands and Thynghowe to people who were unaware of the remarkable heritage of the woodland.
June 2011 - Thynghowe's topographic earthwork survey
The
report on January's survey of Thynghowe by Andy Gaunt and the
Nottinghamshire County Council Community Archaeology team has been published.
It gives a fascinating insight into the shape of the hill and its place
in the
wider landscape. You can view the report online via this
link or download
a copy from our Resources page.
Thanks to Andy for his work and to Nottinghamshire County Council's Local
Improvement Scheme for funding this project.
May 2011 - Thynghowe's Lottery Bid
We should soon be ready to submit our bid for funding for our research from the Heritage Lottery Fund. We have changed the proposed schedule to take advantage of the best conditions for aerial LIDAR surveying and to avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds. If successful, there should be plenty of opportunities for volunteers to take part in surveying, archive research, preparing publications and learning about the management of sensitive sites. The first sessions for volunteers are planned for January 2012. Watch this space and contact us now if you want to be first to hear about these events.
April 2011 - The 2011 Perambulation
We
had perfect weather for our
annual perambulation walk in Birklands on Saturday 16th April. In
addition to a tour of Thynghowe and south-west Birklands we spotted
a buzzard
(no cuckoo this year) and four butterfly species.
It was good to meet new participants and we hope they will be joining
us for other
activities.
April 2011 - Thynghowe on BBC Radio 4
Radio
4's Open Country programme transmitted on 9th and 14th April was
recorded in Birklands. Presenter Richard Uridge spoke to Lynda
and Stuart from the Friends of Thynghowe about the story of Thynghowe,
to Andy about the Forestry Commission's role in Birklands and to John Baker
from Nottingham University about assembly sites and the acoustics of the
hill. More
details and a chance to listen to the broadcast are on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0103z1x
April 2011 - Time Team in Sherwood
TV's Time Team have recorded a programme at the King's Houses at Kings Clipstone. We hear that they made some significant discoveries and we can't wait for the programme to be broadcast so we can learn more about our part of Sherwood Forest.
March 2011 - Another Budby Stone!
Paul
and Stuart have discovered a previously unrecorded marker stone whilst
walking in the Budby Forest area. It is now added to the features in
our Research section of this
site. Stuart is hopeful that archive research will reveal the purpose
of these Budby stones.
March 2011 - Bird Nesting Season
As well as its amazing historical significance the area around Thynghowe is an important habitat for ground-nesting birds. Nightjar and woodlark are amongst the protected species that may be found in the area. To avoid any disturbance we do no surveying work around Thynghowe between March and September. If you visit the area during these months please keep to the paths and keep dogs under close control.
March 2011 - Jerusalem's Well
Warsop
Footpaths & Countryside
Group have marked the site of Jerusalem's Well with an oak post. This
stone-lined well was sited
in Birklands alongside the coach road between Warsop and the Great North
Road at Tuxford. It was filled in during the 1970s for safety reasons.
The well is one of the features recorded in the Research section of this
website.
January
2011 - Discover Viking Age Sherwood Forest - Take 2!
The
rescheduled topographical survey of the hill of Thynghowe funded
by the County Council's 'Local Improvement
Scheme' took
place between January 18th and 22nd. Archaeologists from Nottinghamshire
County Council's Community Archaeology team, and experts from University
College
London used the latest equipment to survey the site.
Nottinghamshire's Community archaeology team, led by Andy Gaunt, carried out a topographical survey of the hill. Andy and his colleagues used both Total Station and GPS, this will provide a 3D image of the site. Dr Stuart Brookes and Dr John Baker (Nottingham University) from the University College London Assembly Sites Project were doing the geo-phys using magnetometry instruments. They were aided by volunteers from the Friends of Thynghowe group. It is hoped that both sets of results will be put together to see what this mysterious site reveals.
On Saturday the Friends of Thynghowe hosted two public sessions, showing
groups around and explaining the history of the site. A display featured
photographs,
maps and information on all the research the group had undertaken in
the last five years.
Stuart Reddish took the groups to many historic features in the forest,
telling the story of this part of Sherwood Forest from Bronze Age,
Iron Age, Romans,
Anglo Saxons, Vikings, Normans right up to modern forestry practices.
Archaeologist Andy Gaunt also demonstrated how he used the surveying
equipment. This public event was well attended and a number of the
participants had stories to tell of features and activities in Birklands
that may
turn out to be important
in the story of this part of Sherwood Forest.
It
is hoped that a public presentation, at the end of March, will give the
results of both surveys.
Lynda
Mallett's photographs of the surveying on Thynghowe can be viewed on www.flickr.com/photos/lyndamallett/
January
2011 - Thynghowe on BBC Radio 5
Thynghowe featured on the archaeology slot on Radio 5's "Up All Night" programme on Tuesday 4th January. Win Scutt covered latest developments as part of his weekly World Archaeology News.
November 2010 - An exciting opportunity to become a Sherwood Forest History Detective
Would
you like to learn new skills in interpreting the landscape, surveying
on the ground or researching old documents?
We are planning a new project involving commissioning an aerial LIDAR
survey of Birklands, Data from
this survey will need ground
truthing involving checking it against features on the ground. We
are aiming to offer free training to volunteers
who would like to help us with this task or other aspects of our research.
Everybody
is welcome
to
take part
and
it would
be a great help to us if anybody who is interested could let
us know. Click
here to
email us. Feedback from the Heritage
Lottery Fund suggests that we have a good chance of securing funding
and any expressions of interest would
greatly help
our bid.
You can download a leaflet giving more details of how to become a Sherwood Forest History Detective if you click here.
November 2010 - Thynghowe on Facebook
We
now have a Facebookpage - click here 
to
check it out.
October 2010 - Too much bracken!
The planned survey of Thynghowe by archaeologists has had to be postponed as there is still too much bracken on the hill. The project has been postponed until later this winter - hopefully the hill will not be under snow by then!
October 2010 - Thynghowe in the media
Publicity for this winter's surveying has seen Thynghowe featured on Richard Spurr's BBC Radio Nottingham afternoon show. Stuart and Linda did an excellent job of promoting our activities as well as sharing their thoughts on weddings, speed humps and tone deafness!
We also gained good coverage in a Yorkshire Post article. Unfortunately they didn't print this picture of Andy that was included in the press release!
October 2010 - Friends of Thynghowe on the Faroe Islands
Representatives of the local history group Friends of Thynghowe, Lynda Mallett and Stuart Reddish, have just returned from the Faroe Islands. They were attending a trans-national European conference of the THING Project in Torshavn the capital city.
Stuart presented a key note lecture on Thynghowe, a recent discovery of a Viking Assembly site in Birklands, Sherwood Forest.
Stuart, speaking to Radio Faroe, said “We have a shared culture that covers the whole of northern Europe. A Viking heritage which is important for the communities of Nottinghamshire which once was one of the five shires of the Viking Danelaw. We have to remember the heritage we have in common with the people of the Faroe Islands."
July 2010 - The Friends of Thynghowe at Newark Castle
On July 31st we attended the Time Travel Trent Vale event organised by The Nottinghamshire Community Archaeology Team. Many of the visitors who came to see the re-enactors and the torturer in the dungeon also visited our stand and we hopefully encouraged more visits to Birklands and raised awareness of the story of Thynghowe.
July 2010 - The Thynghowe Trail on Our Mansfield and Area website
Information about the Thynghowe Trail is now posted on the Warsop section of the Our Mansfield and Area site which records history, memories, photos and comments about the living history of the district. You can access it via our Links page and go to Places from the menu.
April 2010 - Press Release from the THING Project
Delegates fly in just before volcano erupts
Partners
in the Northern Periphery Programme THING project (Thing Sites International
Networking Group) arrived in Shetland last Wednesday (14th) just
before the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull caused havoc to European flights.
Delegates from Iceland, Norway, Faroe, Orkney, Highland region and the
Isle of Man assembled in Shetland for two days’ meetings, discussions
and presentations on thing sites before traveling by boat to Orkney
for a further two days
of meetings, talks and site visits. Things are the assembly sites spread
across Northern Europe as a result of our shared Viking heritage.
Whilst in Shetland delegates listened to Brian Smith’s stimulating public lecture on the myths and realities surrounding Shetland’s ting sites and visited Ting Holm at Tingwall, the site of Shetland’s law ting until 1600. Orkney tours incorporated the meeting sites at Tingwall, St Magnus Cathedral and Dingieshowe. Unfortunately the travel disruptions meant three speakers were unable to join the group in Orkney, but two of them sent electronic copies of their presentations. A visitor from Nottingham ably stepped into the breach delivering an inspiring presentation on Thynghowe - a newly discovered thing site deep within Sherwood Forest.
Some delegates faced an epic journey home – six Norwegians hope to arrive home on Friday, after a marathon journey through Scotland, England, Holland and Denmark, involving 3 ferry trips and a series of bus, rail and road links. The next partner meeting will be held in Faroe in early October.
April 2010 - The 2010 Perambulation
This year's walk commemorating the 1816 Perambulation of the Lordship of Warsop was held on Saturday 24th April. This time we started from the Warsop Windmill end of the Thynghowe Trail and the walk to Thynghowe took in boundary stones, the sites of the Duke of Portland's Russian Hut and of the Shambles Oak. We also featured stories of the 19th century management of Birklands and plenty of quotes from the 1816 document.
We had superb weather and we heard a cuckoo as we approached Thynghowe - this has now become a tradition of this event! Discoveries on the walk included a stretch of cobbled trackway and a piece of stone that may have been part of a doorstep of the Russian Hut.
Keeping a thousand year old tradition alive - a debate on the summit of Thynghowe
involving the participants of this year's perambulation!
April 2010 - Funding for Thynghowe Surveying
We have received the excellent news that our bid for funding from the Nottinghamshire County Council Local Improvement Scheme has been approved. This will allow the County Archaeologists to perform a full topographical survey of the hill of Thynghowe and also of some of the surrounding area. This will provide a three dimensional image that will be invaluable in interpreting the site. The surveying should take place this autumn and our supporters and interested members of the public will be welcome to come along and see what the survey reveals. Watch this space!
April 2010 - Friends of Thynghowe at the Northern Periphery Programme THING project
Stuart and Lynda from the Friends of Thynghowe attended the Thing Sites International Networking Group conference from 15th to 18th April. Delegates spent their first two days in Shetland and the other two in Orkney, allowing them to compare things in both island groups.
Last June the project secured funding to connect and interpret a network of thing sites throughout the Viking world. With partners in Shetland, Orkney, Norway, Iceland, Faroe, Highland Scotland and the Isle of Man, the three-year project aims to exchange knowledge, exploit opportunities and develop sustainable management and business development at the thing sites that spread across north-west Europe as a result of the Viking diaspora and Norse settlements. One major aspect of the project is to explore the possibility of a trans-national World Heritage nomination, expanding on Iceland’s existing World Heritage Site- Thingvellir.
Although
Thynghowe falls outside the region eligible for funding under this project,
we made a considerable impact when Stuart was asked to replace
a speaker who was unable to attend due to the disruption to flights caused
by volcanic ash. His presentation impressed the audience that included
academics
and
government
representatives with the remarkable quality of the site of Thynghowe
and also the work of the Friends of Thynghowe in researching and
documenting the area. Stuart and Lynda are planning to attend the next
meeting on the Faroe Islands later this year. The tremendous job they
have done
in promoting Thynghowe should lead to increased international interest
and help us with the interpretation of our site.
The Friends of Thynghowe banner (provided by Greenwood Community Forest)
on display at the entrance to Shetland Museum
March 2010 - The Friends of Greenwood Community Forum visit Birklands
On March 1st we hosted a meeting of the Friends of Greenwood Community Forum which was followed by a walk around the southern part of Birklands. Seventeen members of the Forum and the Friends of Thynghowe looked at boundary stones, discussed the evolving management of the Forest from Norman times and visited the sites of the Russian Hut and St Edwin's Chantry. We enjoyed this opportunity to share the stories of the past of Birklands and several of our guests promised to return soon.
February 2010 - The missing Budby stone
Our last surveying session of winter 2009-10 resulted in a particularly pleasing find. We located the stone mentioned in the 1816 Perambulation document which we feared had been removed. It appears to be similar to the Budby Forest stone so it could have been a marker on an ancient boundary. We also recorded information about the limes marking the Warsop/Budby boundary, investigated old trackways and measured a World War II ammunition store. You see more details in our Research section.
November 2009 - Surveying in Birklands
On
November 11th six members
of the Friends of Thynghowe ventured into Birklands to collect more information
about some of the features we had previously located. We recorded data
about trees, ancient trackways, earthworks, a culvert and an ancient stone.
There was much debate about alternative interpretations and speculation
over the nature and origins of some of these features. The updated information
and images are now included in our Research section.
We hope to organise more of these sessions and you are welcome to join
us. This image shows
some the cones found beneath the collection of conifers planted by the
Duke of Portland alongside Hanger Hill Drive.
October 2009 - Yet Another Thing
We have recently become aware of another Thing in England. It is located at Cross Hill on the Barnston Road at Thingwall near Irby on the Wirral, overlooking the river Dee estuary (grid reference SJ2784). Parts of the Wirral were settled by Scandinavian Vikings who were expelled from Dublin in 902AD and Thingwall was a place where elders met to discuss the issues of the day.
July 2009 - More Thyngs, Tings and Things
Our research into similar Norse meeting sites to Thynghowe has revealed a
Ting on National Trust land near Little Langdale in the Lake District.
More details on http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-littlelangdale/
A web search for more details about the Thing at Dingwall near Invernesss
revealed their council’s links with the proposed Thing Sites Network
involving similar sites in Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland,
Orkneys, Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Man. Hopefully our initial contacts
with this network will result in Thynghowe’s involvement in this project.
A list of some UK Thing sites is in our Research section.
May 2009 - The Greendale Oak Lives!
The Greendale Oak came to fame in 1724 when the first Duke of Portland wagered
with the Earl of Oxford that he could drive a horse and carriage through
a tree. The Greendale Oak was chosen, as it was a giant of a tree. After
the tree had been mutilated by his woodsmen a small carriage could pass through
an archway cut into the trunk and the Duke won his wager. Surprisingly,
the tree survived a further couple of hundred years.
However, it still lives on through its descendants! We have discovered from
the Welbeck Estate planting records that a compartment in Birkland Forest
was planted with acorns from the Greendale Oak in 1833. Our investigations
have found that there are indeed oak trees of the appropriate age growing
in that area.
April 2009 - The Thynghowe Trail is officially open!
On Saturday 25 April the three mile waymarked Thynghowe Trail was opened by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Councilor Brian Grocock. Following the official opening our annual walk along the boundary of the Lordship of Warsop took place with members of the Friends of Thynghowe joined by our supporters. Stuart gave his usual illuminating explanations of features along the route and this year he included some discoveries that he has not previously mentioned. Once again the cuckoo put in a vocal appearance, for many of us it was for the first time he have heard it this year.
September
2008 - Waymarking the Thynghowe Trail
Posts identifying 17 points of historical interest have been installed along the Thynghowe Trail by volunteers from the Friends of Thynghowe and Warsop Footpaths & Countryside Group. The posts were donated by the Forestry Commission and prepared by Graham from the Friends of Thynghowe. The posts are already creating interest amongst local walkers and several copies of our trail leaflet have been distributed ahead of the official launch.
Summer 2008 - Thynghowe on the National Monuments Record
Following English Heritage's scheduling of Thynghowe, the record now appears online on the Pastscape website. You can check it out on http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=1461548
Spring 2008 - Thynghowe in the News
Thynghowe has been in the news during the past few weeks with articles in the local press, a feature on Radio Nottingham and references online on 24hourmuseum and Wikipedia. The Forestry Commission press release that created much of the interest is quoted here-
RETURN OF THE 'THYNG'!
Local
people are helping to shed light on a rare archaeological find amidst
the
gnarled old oaks of the Birklands in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
The Forestry Commission and the Friends of Thynghowe are bidding to unravel
the secrets of an ancient meeting place - called Thynghowe - dating
back to at least Viking times.
Three years ago the mound-like feature was rediscovered by history lover
and former teacher Lynda Mallett, along with husband Stuart Reddish
and John Wood, all from Rainworth, using an original "perambulation" document
dated to 1816.
Miraculously, when they visited the spot they found that the hill still
exists, along with historic boundary stones. Their research has also
suggested that it may once have marked the boundary between the Anglo
Saxon kingdoms
of Mercia and Northumbria.
After reporting the intriguing find to local history society members
in Clipstone, Warsop and Edwinstowe, a new group was formed to work with
forest chiefs to investigate the site's significant history and encourage
wider community appreciation and involvement.
Andrew Norman, Ranger with the Forestry Commission, said: " Our forests in Nottinghamshire contain many historic sites, but it's down
to the efforts of local people that Thynghowe has re-emerged from the
shadows. It's our policy to protect the site and work with the community to ensure
its continued survival."
Al Oswald, an Archaeological Investigator with English Heritage, recently
inspected the site and believes it is a national rarity. He explained:"
I was very surprised by this discovery. The site had vanished from modern
maps and was essentially lost to history until local people made their
discoveries. There are only a handful of such sites surviving in
the British Isles in places like Orkney and the Lake District. Basically,
Thynghowe was a place where people came to resolve disputes and settle
issues – quite literally where people came to talk about things. It's
a Norse word, although it's quite possible the site is much older still,
perhaps even Bronze Age. The word howe often indicates a prehistoric burial
mound. We do know that it's been an important place for centuries
and even today there are three parish boundary markers on top of the mound. This
is an exceptional survivor and needs further study."
Lynda Mallett, who with her husband owns 17 acres of woodland nearby
in Sherwood Forest, added: " We have also discovered a 1609 map of the Birklands showing routes to
Thynghowe, in addition to the 1816 perambulation document describing the walk
around
the Lordship of Warsop. Today it is known as Hanger Hill, but our research
has shown it really is a window into the past of Sherwood Forest. There
is probably much more to be discovered. We are working with the Forestry
Commission to look at options for the site's management and protection
and to make it more widely known."
26 April 2008 - Friends of Thynghowe and the Annual Perambulation
A large group set
out from Budby Pumping Station and headed into Sherwood Forest on a warm
Spring morning.
The group consisted of members of the Friends of Thynghowe and members of
the public. The walk, this year advertised by the Forestry Commission, attracted
people who were keen to learn about the history and heritage of Birklands.
The Friends of Thynghowe have produced a heritage trail leaflet and the route
followed that trail.
We were shown how to look at the landscape in woodland and see the ‘hidden’ history.
Stuart Reddish and Lynda Mallett, landscape historians, led the walk.
We discovered hollow ways and trackways – ancient routes through the
forest. Very old hawthorn hedgerows hidden in the pine plantation hinted
of old tracks and field systems.
We
looked at bumps and hollows that could have been charcoal pits or potash
pits – showing how the woodland was used and managed in long gone days.
As
we stopped to look at a wood bank edging the forest from a meadow, a cuckoo
in full throat
flew across
a clearing – what a celebration of
spring!
As we moved up the long slow pull of Hanger Hill – removing outer garments
as it got warmer – we were shown evidence of ridge and furrow showing
that before the trees people had farmed this land.
Thynghowe itself became evident as we reached the top of Lady Anne’s
Ride. It was a Saxon Moot, a Danelaw ‘Thyng’ – it was used
by the Romans who had a Romano/British settlement close by.
Powerful sites like this often have been used going back through the mists
of time. Who knows how long this site has been important to the people living
in the area.
As we stood looking down the hill and across the landscape imagining who
had stood on this hill a buzzard sailed overhead circling around the treetops.
We walked back through the forest emerging from the trail to look over an
area of protected heathland – this is what the old Sherwood Forest
would have looked like open wood pasture with copses of trees, heather lings,
and lovely old mature oaks.
Some of Sherwood Forest’s history had been revealed – ‘forest
stones’ showing the important boundaries between lordships and parishes
(and possibly even kingdoms); old coppiced trees showing how the woodland
had been worked for hundreds of years; hollow ways that had been worn by
feet and carts over a millennia; and looking like a circular iron age hut
was a machine gun post from the second world war!
©
Lynda Mallett April 2008 Friends of Thynghowe
19
April 2008 - Friends of Thynghowe and Notts Wildlife Trust
On Saturday 19 April the Friends of Thynghowe gave some members of
Notts Wildlife Trust a guided walk along part of the ancient boundary in
Birklands, Sherwood Forest.
Friends of Thynghowe are a group of local people who have rediscovered
some of the history of this part of Sherwood Forest. They are part of
the Woodland Champions Project, and last year, as part of the project,
received training in landscape investigation in ancient woodland (see link below
for information of obtaining the training manual).
This part of the forest is mainly pine plantation and not immediately
thought of as ‘historic’. There are many layers in the landscape,
some
can be seen as ‘humps and bumps’ – features to show what
this area had
once been. From the trees we can see how the forest was managed,
coppiced woodland, charcoal burning. Some of the history we only know about
through archives and documents.
This was how we came to recognise Thynghowe.
Two
local people acquired an 1816 document of the Perambulation of the Lordship
of Warsop.
With this document they tracked through the forest
looking for features mentioned in the document, slowly discovering the
route of this old boundary perambulation, and many of the features
mentioned on it. Including boundary stones, an ancient oak, two Forest
stones, and a very special meeting place, called Thynghowe.
This special meeting place is a hill, which in Danish/Viking times was
called a Thynghowe. It was probably known to the Romans who had a
Romano British settlement close by; to the Saxons who would have used it as
a ‘moot’; and certainly to the Normans when they established the
great
deer park nearby in Kings Clipstone.
We
finished the walk in a woodland owned by two members of the Friends
of Thynghowe, the boundary perambulation went through this wood and
mentions large ditches. These ditches are now known as ‘deer leaps’ part
of the way that they captured the wild deer from the forest to put into
the ‘paled’ (fenced) deer park for the King and his Barons to hunt.
The weather was rather cold but the walk and talk very interesting–the
two groups are planning some future projects so as to enhance and protect both
the history, and the habitat and wildlife of the area.
© Lynda Mallett April 2008
16 September 2007 - Launch of the Heritage Woodland Manual
Several
members of The Friends of Thynghowe attended the launch of the Woodland
Heritage Manual at Sheffield. We have been involved in developing
this manual as part of the Woodland
Heritage Champions project. A
number of authors have contributed to the manual and case studies
have been provided by the volunteers to highlight some of the work they
have carried
out.
The manual is intended to establish a context for evaluation and
assessment of woodlands and wooded landscapes across England, enabling people
to understand, value and care for their local heritage. Without understanding ancient
woodlands they are at risk of damage and neglect.
The manual:
- Puts woodlands in their landscape setting.
- Gives guidance on how to identify working and veteran trees in woodland,
parkland and former woodland sites; building on the work of the
' Ancient Tree Hunt' project.
- Looks at botanical and other species indicators and typologies.
- Includes information about the underlying geology, sediments and soils.
- Provides information on ecological and archaeological survey methods and
the interpretation of results.
- Cover different areas within England.
- Provides guidance for management and advice on carrying out further
surveys and important contact information.
hopes to inspire woodland enthusiasts to research and survey their local
wood and to uncover its history.
Find out more about the Woodland Heritage Champions project on http://www.woodland-heritage.org.uk