Use of wood in ancient times
- Snails in the fills of the Late Bronze Age hilltop enclosure on Castle Hill indicate a wooded environment.
- No mention of Little Wittenham woodland in Domesday Book (1086) or a Saxon charter of 862 AD·
- From 1048 the manor of Little Wittenham was owned by Abingdon Abbey and contributed income from woodland products (1384 Accounts of the Obientars of Abingdon Abbey)
- Beech charcoal found in a 12th/13thC pit during the 2003 excavation on Castle Hill shows medieval presence of beech.
- First reference to Little Wittenham woodland was at time of 18th C sale by Dunch family. Little Wittenham Wood is clearly shown on the 1761 Rocque map, neatly divided by linear woodland rides. Medieval ridge and furrow patterns in the woods suggest the area was previously under crops.
- Tithe map 1843-4 shows woodland as “The Great Wood” and also refers to Walnut Tree Piece field, north of Round Hill, suggesting walnuts were also cultivated. (Now, many years later, the Northmoor Trust sponsors a major walnut breeding programme, see below).
- The Little Wittenham Wood provided coppice products such as faggots for fuel, poles for thatching pegs, fencing hurdles, brooms etc, as well as timber for local construction.
- Little Wittenham census returns from the late 19th C refer to occupations including woodman, hurdle maker and timber haulier.
- 1950-1970: planting of spruce between Little Wittenham wood and Castle Hill, also poplars by river.
