Mid 18th century ornamential estates
From the mid-18th C, the landscape was becoming appreciated not just as a means for agricultural production but also for its aesthetic appeal.
Ornamental avenues and woodland rides
A map of Berkshire (which then included Little Wittenham) published in 1761 by John Rocque shows the Wittenham area, including the clumps, laid out with ornamental avenues and woodland rides.
The woodland rides were orientated to provide the best vistas of the hills, river and Dorchester Abbey. The actual planting of the avenues (one of which led to the top of Round Hill) may have been much earlier than the publication date of the map, - perhaps even in the early 1700s.
The Rocque map does not show the two clumps of trees on Castle Hill and Round Hill, although tree ring evidence suggests a planting date of around 1730. This makes the tress the oldest known ornamental beech hilltop plantings in Britain.
They are evident on an Ordnance Survey map from 1820-1830, but this does not depict the earlier avenues.
It is interesting that the ornamental avenues were apparently removed before they were fully mature.
20th century plantings
In the 20th C commercial tree plantings on the northern slopes of Castle Hill encroached on the hillfort ramparts and obstructed previously clear views to and from the hilltops.
Northmoor Trust's restoration work
The Northmoor Trust now has an active management plan to restore the woodland rides from the 18th Century. Glades and clearings have again been opened out to provide views across the river to Dorchester. Conifer woodland screening the north flank of Castle Hill is being slowly cleared.
