Woodland archaeology books

Specifically on woodland archaeology:

Rotherham I D, Jones M, Smith L & Handley C, Eds. The Woodland Heritage Manual. Wildtrack Publishing, Sheffield 2008. A very comprehensive manual. A possible criticism is their emphasis on ground flora. Probably a little too detailed for those with a passing interest, but good grounding if you wish to take the subject further. Free to download or buy a paper copy.

Woodland Archaeology in the North Wessex Downs AONB. A downloadable document from www.northwessexdowns.org.uk A good general introduction to the subject. This is intended as a training manual, not as light reading, so some of the sections require a level of skill (for example, in using a compass) that the average person may not have. But it is free. Also available on the Forestry Commission website.

Morris, John. The Cultural Heritage of Chiltern Woods. Published by John Morris at the Chiltern Woodlands Project 2009. A well-illustrated and very readable introduction suitable whatever your level of interest. Also a sensible price. Can be ordered from the Chilterns AONB website.

Bannister N & Bartlett D. Exploring your Woodland’s History. c.2002 A fairly basic guide for community groups and woodland owners and based on Clowes Wood near Canterbury, Kent. Is available as a pdf download from the Forestry Commission website.

Bannister N. The Cultural Heritage of Woodlands in the South East. 2007. Another very readable guide to woodland archaeology with useful flowcharts to help with identification and recording forms. This was another booklet which didn’t find its way onto the market, but it was produced for the AONBs in the south east, some of whom may have a copy. This is now online the Forestry Commission website.

Books which include elements of woodland archaeology:

Rackham, Oliver. Ancient Woodland, Castlepoint Press 2003. The definitive guide to ancient woodland and what you can find in it. Although based mainly on East Anglia, most of the book has a general application. Expensive, and still in print. His previous edition (1980, pub Edward Arnold) is still available second hand but is even more expensive.

Muir, Richard. The New Reading the Landscape, University of Exeter, 2000. A good introduction and a very readable account of landscape archaeology in general.

Hoskins, W G. The Making of the English Landscape, Hodder & Stoughton 1955 One of the original books on the subject providing a general overview.

Cleere, H and Crossley, D. The Iron Industry of the Weald. Merton Priory Press 1995. Now out of print but remains the only authoritative guide to the Wealden iron industry. Not a light read, and probably best borrowed first from a local library.

Hodgkinson, Jeremy. The Wealden Iron Industry, Tempus Press 2008. A very readable book with plenty of illustrations. Brings the Wealden iron industry research up to date. Written by one of the few people who know the industry well. If it isn’t available from Amazon, try asking the Wealden iron Research Group if copies are still available (www.wealdeniron.org.uk)

Beswick, M. Brickmaking in Sussex, Middleton Press, 2001. The only guide to the history of brick and tile making in the county. Has a very useful gazetteer listing all known brickworks by parish.

Aston, M. Interpreting the Landscape. Batsford 1992. Now a little dated, but adopts some valuable approaches to the subject. It was written before the Internet was widely in use. Loads of second-hand copies on various book dealers’ sites.