Leith Hill unusual map features

Some of the paths to Leith Hill in Surrey seem to be marked with
structures either side of them on the OS 1:25000 map. Does anybody
know what they are supposed to be? I've walked along some of them and
didn't notice anything unusual

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...3342&A=Y&Z=115

Jon wrote:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...3342&A=Y&Z=115

I'm equally puzzled. There are certainly no ground features/structures
on most of the spots marked with those odd squares.

They are earth squares. The land there is Wotton and Abinger common and was
probably open heath, grazed by sheep and cattle (Darwin mentions this) it
is owned by the Evelyn family one of whom wrote a treatise, Sylva. From
what I remember from working forestry there over twenty years in the 80s
and 90s there were some large larch standing in the squares so my guess is
they were thrown up to protect trees planted in an avenue within the common
land. I vaguely recall the avenue is named after a Duke. Many of the trees
blow over in the 1991 jan 12 storm (whilst I was driving down the road
having previously cleared the road in October 1987).

Interestingly at the time of the commons registration the owner declined to
register the land as common, neither would the local authority ( whose
leader may have been an Evelyn at the time). So public access would have
been lost. A neighbouring land owner registered rights in common, allegedly
much to the chagrin of the Wotton estate, to collect bracken for bedding
IIRC, and open access was guaranteed under the 1927 law of property act.

AJH

In message , Paul Bowery
writes
Some of the paths to Leith Hill in Surrey seem to be marked with
structures either side of them on the OS 1:25000 map. Does anybody
know what they are supposed to be? I've walked along some of them and
didn't notice anything unusual

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...3342&A=Y&Z=115



I think it means the "path" is a bridleway.

see:-

http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SJ+216+318
--
Bill Grey

In message , Bill Grey
writes
In message , Paul Bowery
writes
Some of the paths to Leith Hill in Surrey seem to be marked with
structures either side of them on the OS 1:25000 map. Does anybody
know what they are supposed to be? I've walked along some of them and
didn't notice anything unusual

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...3342&A=Y&Z=115



I think it means the "path" is a bridleway.

see:-

http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SJ+216+318

On second thoughts ???

Can''t find anything appropriate on Google though !
--
Bill Grey

On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:05:09 +0100, andrew
wrote:

Jon wrote:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...3342&A=Y&Z=115

I'm equally puzzled. There are certainly no ground features/structures
on most of the spots marked with those odd squares.

They are earth squares. The land there is Wotton and Abinger common and was
probably open heath, grazed by sheep and cattle (Darwin mentions this) it
is owned by the Evelyn family one of whom wrote a treatise, Sylva. From
what I remember from working forestry there over twenty years in the 80s
and 90s there were some large larch standing in the squares so my guess is
they were thrown up to protect trees planted in an avenue within the common
land. I vaguely recall the avenue is named after a Duke. Many of the trees
blow over in the 1991 jan 12 storm (whilst I was driving down the road
having previously cleared the road in October 1987).

Interestingly at the time of the commons registration the owner declined to
register the land as common, neither would the local authority ( whose
leader may have been an Evelyn at the time). So public access would have
been lost. A neighbouring land owner registered rights in common, allegedly
much to the chagrin of the Wotton estate, to collect bracken for bedding
IIRC, and open access was guaranteed under the 1927 law of property act.

AJH

Thanks for that information. I'll have a closer look next time I'm
there.
I have maps from 1956 and 1985, and the squares are not marked on the
older map so they were probably included from the compilation from
1:10000 maps in the 1970s.
Incidentally the avenue heading north towards Broadmoor is called
Jacob's Walk on the on the 1956 map.

--
Paul

A recent orienteering map of Leith Hill may be of interest
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-...p&id=13&kieli=

The enclosures are marked as earth banks on the map.

Richard Webb

On Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:04:09 GMT, (Richard Webb)
wrote:

A recent orienteering map of Leith Hill may be of interest
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-...p&id=13&kieli=

The enclosures are marked as earth banks on the map.

Richard Webb


Thanks Richard.
I see there are some in the Abinger Common area not marked on the OS
Explorer map.

--
Paul