Hundreds of new sites discovered in The New Forest

Hundreds of new historical sites, which have never been recorded before have been revealed with the help of LIDAR – a laser beamed from a plane which can penetrate the forest canopy.

New Forest. © 2013 David Baker http://www.milouvision.com/

Each find has be verified by a visit by a team of archaeologists and volunteers from the New Forest National Park Authority  to make sure it really is what it looks like on the map – which isn’t always the case (one feature turned out to be an elaborate den constructed by children!) – but most turn out to be genuine archaeological finds.

“”We have found an Iron Age hill fort not previously know about,” explained Lawrence Shaw, heritage mapping and data officer, “It was under complete tree cover.” Elsewhere in the 350 sq mile forest a group of Bronze Age burnt mounds have been found (features often found with a trough inside where hot stones were put to heat water or cook food) – “The density of these is probably the highest anywhere outside Ireland,”

So far, about 35% of the 3,500 identified features have been checked. Over the next seven years, the team hope to have the whole area mapped and features added to Hampshire’s Historic Environment Record.

See more here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24368290