Ariel view of Scholes Coppice and Keppels (or “Admiral’s”) field and 1930’s map of same area. Image produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with kind permission of Landmark Information Group Ltd . and Ordnance Survey
link to holisticfraternity.co.uk
Ariel view of Scholes Coppice and Keppel’s (Admiral’s) Field
View along top edge of inner table
Centre of monument is waterlogged
Bullrushes growing in waterlogged culvert
Vegetation growing in gravel-filled culvert
Water runoff from field directly onto monument
Standing water in culvert
No water drains from culverts
Scholes Coppice. Side of inner table from outside, water runs directly into the ditches from the field above where culverts are filled in; felling of mature trees YEARLY adds to the raising of the water table. The 3000 yr old henge is being washed away.
Taken from the highest inner bank, a collage pans around the inner table of the henge.
In this Ancient woodland are two oval ditches with a central table which is sunken in the middle. The bank is surrounded by a deep ditch and further out is a second ditch.The earthwork has been described as Late Neolithic and also as Early to Middle Iron Age. It has been there since the people in this region were peasant farmers. For many years it was called Caesars Camp as the locals thought it to be Roman. In the countryside nearby are at least two very large ridges which are also casually named “Roman” (one is Hoober Stand) but could be part of the same earthwork. This is an issue under contention, some people hold the view that the surrounding large ridges are not connected to the central and adjacent monument.
As mature trees are felled and culverts for taking excess water run-off have been filled in, it is being destroyed by water damage. This is also a conservation issue as wild flora and fauna and the Ancient woodland in the area are being irreversibly damaged. Water that ran down the edge of the wood from culverts now runs directly into the monument site.
The stream fed by the culverts used to flow through land nearby, which residents successfully prevented being used for building houses, shops etc.
Only one tree has been taken from the monument itself, the long term plan of RMBC and Heritage is to remove all trees on the monument leaving roots in situ. The trees felled have been from other places in the woods.
I RECENTLY MET WITH COUNCIL MANAGERS AND HAVE UPDATED MY SITE holisticfraternity.co.uk WITH DETAILS OF THIS MEETING
NMR no. SK39NE 6 (enclosed settlement) an oval Iron Age hillfort with single defensive gap at (probably) NE, strong rampart but no counterscarp bank. Subject of several excavations EHNMR-657114 earthwork EHNMR-917996 settlement NMRMIC-5039 ditch and earthwork.
Webpage about Scholes Wood with photo and good description.
Photographs showing environmental changes over last few years due to water damage. Culverts are filled in and show as dark green on grassland, flora and fauna have changed.
Scholes Coppice, Ancient woodland and Late Neolithic/Mid Iron Age double-ditch earthwork, many photos, water damage due to felling mature trees and gravel filled drainage culverts. LATEST PHOTOS TAKEN MONDAY 16TH AUGUST.
Site has old maps showing clearances.
Member of Stone Circle and Stone Pages webrings
Please visit for my report of a meeting with council managers
