Resonox wrote:
The barrows in Reigate Heath have trees planted in them(apparently a Victorian thing....anyone know why??)....and it may have been a common practice elsewhere. "Forests" as we know the expression was a Norman creation and were hunting areas (hence Ashdown forest for eg being thin on the ground tree-wise)...
A good example of this practice continuing is at Deerleap, also in Surrey:http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2090/deerleap_wood_barrow.html
The South Walian uplands of Fforest Fawr were apparently set aside for hunting by the local lord.... tree-less - except in sheltered cwms - as you might expect for land in excess of 2,000ft. Guess the 'forest = trees' assumption came around since game usually preferred woodland cover.