Sherwood Forest in World War II

During the Second World War large tracts of Sherwood Forest were requisitioned by the military to act as  military ammunition stores, camps, prisoner of war camps, displaced persons camps, and training areas.

This project works with partner organisations and experts to examine the infrastructures that can be gleaned from historic documents, aerial photographs and personal memories, it utilises the latest technologies of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Survey to look for the potential remains of earthworks, buildings, and infrastructure from World War II

The project is already in its early pilot stage, with ground-truthing of archaeological remains underway in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, Thoresby Estate, and various locations around the forest, to record and identify remains on the ground, and to determine the usefulness of LiDAR data and aerial photography for ground survey.

It is hoped that this project can begin to piece together the military infrastructure, and investigate where there are archaeological remains that survive from this very important episode in the history of Sherwood Forest.

The project is the first attempt using modern computer modelling and mapping techniques, to map the military landscape and its archaeology. Some work has been undertaken at sites across the region, but this is the first overarching attempt to record for the whole Sherwood Forest area.

The Project is seeking funding to expand operations across the Forest in 2019.

Some results include:

Recording a military pit in Birklands Wood in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: Prison Camp Hut Base in Carburton Camp.  © Mercian Archaeological services CIC. Recoreded during the BOHIS HLF project 2018.

Recording a possible military pit on Budby South Forest, in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: Military tank tracks, preserved on Thoresby Estate, recorded 2018. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: Military tank tracks, preserved on Thoresby Estate, recorded 2018. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: Hut platforms and remains of Carburton Prisoner of War Camp. Surveyed in 2018. LiDAR Composite DTM - 1m data hillshade image created in GIS. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recording a possible military hut base in Birklands Wood in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Recording a military pit in Birklands Wood in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Recording a military crater on Budby South Forest, in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: Remains of two military pits recorded in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve Archaeology Survey, using EDM Totoal Station. Presented as hillshaded Digital Terrain Models. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

Picture: 3D rendering of the remains of two military pits recorded in the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve Archaeology Survey, using EDM Totoal Station. Presented as hillshaded 3D Digital Terrain Models. © Mercian Archaeological services CIC.

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Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

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Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire, Community Archaeology Derbyshire, Community Archaeology Leicestershire, Community Archaeology East Midlands, Mercian Archaeological     Services Community Archaeology for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Sherwood Forest,     Leicestershire and the East Midlands. Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire, Community     Archaeology East Midlands, Community Archaeology Leicestershire. Archaeological