Monument record 0001702000 - PULPIT WOOD (NT SITES 150069 & 150080)

Plan Form - Linear.
The wood bank runs approximately SE-NE for most of its length, turning sharply NE at its southern end to join the property boundary bank. At its northern end it cuts through the hillfort and runs part of the way down the slope to join the property boundary bank there. Slightly to the east of the property boundary is a second parallel bank the gap between was used as a track between Kimble warren downs and the top of Longdown Hill. The area enclosed by this part of the wood bank coincides with Pulpit Wood shown on the 1805 Great and Little Kimble parish plan, and on the 1840 Kimble tithe map. Subsequent to the digging of this wood bank a second bank was added. This bank runs parallel to the Pulpit Wood bank for part of its course forming a double bank. It continues the line of this bank then turns to north east to join the property boundary bank. The area enclosed is called Parsonage wood on the 1808 and 1840 maps. The name perhaps suggests that the wood was owned by the church for the use of the priest. Some old hedgerow beeches survive on the north and east-south west portion of the bank.
A third boundary bank runs from the road near the present farm entrance, up over the hill in a N.E. direction until it meets the south corner of the
Parsonage Wood Boundary. It corresponds to the boundary between Parsonage Wood and the Downland Warren on one side and Winkfield Hill
pasture on the other, as shown on the 1805 and 1840 maps. The rotting stumps of old hedge row trees can be seen in places. A rough tree ring
count on two stumps close to the footpath in this past pasture area gave an age of approx. 200 years (B11).
As it approaches the hillfort from the south-east, the boundary consists of two parallel south facing scarps cut into the slope, the larger to the north being 0.5m high, the smaller only 0.2m high. Once inside the hillfort, there is no outer scarp but a counterscarp now forms a ditched boundary with the remaining scarp. There are also slight intermittent traces of a bank along its north side no more than 0.2m high. The ditch cuts through the north-west rampart and runs down the steep slope beyond. See report for detail (13).