Re: Scott pines | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Scott pines

more_vert

FourWinds Mar 29, 2003 10:22:40

Replying to Telepathine

There was also a Roman fort/travelling camp near Enville Common (crop marks only these days).

I think the British Midlands must have taken the same fate as the Irish midlands. Too wooded for much of the time and coastal and river sites were favoured. This is probably because of ease of reach and good marginal resources.

It is hard to imagine, but as late as the 15th Century Sherwood Forrest was huge! If you find an old map of it you'll be amazed!

baza Mar 29, 2003 16:07:30

Replying to FourWinds

My understanding of the situation is that the clay soils in the area were too heavy for the earliest farmers to cope with.

The vast majority of prehistoric artefacts found in the central Midlands were recovered from river valleys.

Sherwood, Arden and Charnwood forests were probably extant right up until relatively modern times.

baz

nigelswift Mar 29, 2003 16:19:14

Replying to FourWinds

FW, my mother grew up on a farm adjoining Highgate Common (which adjoins Enville Common). She told me that in the 1920's they ploughed up 4 huge boulders, in a rectangular formation, with a layer of charcoal between them. There's also a Roman road running alongside, so I don't know...

The Midlands, yes, we're very deprived. I live in North Worcestershire and it shows up as a big empty circle on the TMA browser map. BUT, I too drive round seeing lots of "maybes". And what about Crookberrow Hill, a dirty great flat topped hill looming over the M5 junction South West of Worcester. Natural plus Neolithic amendments, they say. How come that never made it onto here? Anyone who has been on the M5 will have seen it. Then, 2.8 miles further South, on the left, a superb aesthetically perfect tumulus perched on top of a hill.