ENN109603 - Wakefield Lodge Estate, 2001 (Walkover survey)

{1} A walkover survey of areas of woodland within the Wakefield Lodge Estate with the aim of identifying the location, extent, nature, importance and management requirements of surviving visible features'. The survey revealed a medieval woodland management system comprising major coppice bank and ditch sequences which had been severely mutilated by later landscaping of the parkland. Data from NRHE: Part of larger multi-disciplinary project. See also UIDs 1359533, 1392517, 1392584, 1392587 & 1392590.19 tracts of woodland investigated on the Wakefield Lodge Estate (centred SP 738 425). These included: Bear's Copse, Potterspury (SP 732 438); Briary Wood, Lillingstone Lovell and Deanshanger (SP 726 423); East Ashalls Copse, Deanshanger (SP 735 415); East Waterslade Copse, Potterspury (SP 744 436); Hill Copse, Deanshanger (SP 739 419); King's Copse, Potterspury (SP 733 441); Lady Copse, Potterspury (SP 738 440); Long Copse, Deanshanger (SP 739 417); Oakley Spinney, Yardley Gabion (SP 743 442); Old Tun Copse, Whittlebury (SP 715 443); Points Copse, Deanshanger (SP 744 417); Redmoor Copse, Deanshanger (SP 743 423); Says Copse, Whittlebury (SP 724 436); Smalladine Copse, Whittlebury (SP 724 433); The Pheasantry, Deanshanger and Potterspury (SP 734 424); West Ashalls Copse, Deanshanger (SP 732 417) and West Waterslade Copse, Potterspury (SP 741 433). Medieval & post-medieval woodland banks, ditches and trackways were recorded in many of the areas investigated. Other specific finds included the following: Oval hollows, believed to be bomb craters, noted in Bear's Copse. Oakley Spinney was revealed to be of post-medieval origin and preserved evidence of medieval ridge and furrow within its confines. Undated, but possibly early, drainage ditches and a dam were recorded in The Pheasantry. An undated, but likewise possibly early, mound was observed in Briary Wood. Dressed stone blocks, apparently of Roman origin were also noted in this latter area. These were probably not in situ and may have been moved from the known remains of a Roman building that lies nearby.