The 'Secrets of the High Woods' project uses airborne laser scanning and community involvement to reveal the hidden archaeological landscape within the wooded downs between the A3 and River Arun. The laser scanning captures highly accurate data on archaeological features obscured by the forest canopy. Volunteers and public events will help verify sites and deepen understanding of the area's long history of human use. Community engagement includes guided walks, exhibitions, and online resources to share what is discovered.

2. ‘Secrets of the High Woods’ is a HLF and SDNPA-Funded community archaeology project
focused on revealing the hidden history of the Wooded Downs.
The project was conceived and developed by Ian McConnell, James Kenny and Anne Bone
and received the go-ahead from the HLF and National Park in 2013.
About the Project

3. The project covers an area of wooded landscape in the centre of the South Downs National
Park located between the A3 and the River Arun.

4. The landscape comprises a steep chalk scarp to the north with furrowed dry chalk valleys
running south. Much of this area is covered with woodland, some of it ancient in origin

5. Archaeology of and Within the Woods
The historic environment is uniquely
preserved in the wooded downs area,
as much of the land has never been
ploughed but quantifying the resource
using traditional methods of
archaeological survey is difficult.
Forest canopy reduces the visibility of
archaeological features from aerial
photographs and dense vegetation can
also limit access and visibility for field
survey.

6. Our Aims
• Explore the cultural heritage of the wooded downs, using both
cutting edge technology and traditional techniques. Doing this will
help us to better understand how human interaction with the
landscape has changed over time
• Engage the public in the heritage of the area through a range
of volunteering opportunities and activities such as guided
walks. We will also be creating online resources including an
e-book and summarising the results of the project in a
travelling exhibition.
• Train professionals including landowners, foresters and other
people working in the woods, alongside local government
and commercial archaeologists in the use of lidar data to
ensure an increased understanding of and respect for heritage
sites. This will lead to enhanced future management and
mitigation of the sites.

7. The technique is quite simple in principle - a plane fitted with a special sensor scans
the ground as it flies across the landscape…
Over the last decade archaeologists have increasingly used airborne laser
scanning (commonly known as lidar) to map features hidden within woodland.
What is Airborne Laser Scanning?

8. The laser reflects off
both the tree cover and
surface of the forest
floor.
It can penetrate
wherever light can, so
will pass through all but
the densest canopy.
Komorebi – a Japanese word for the light that shines between
the leaves of the trees

9. When it hits an object, the laser bounces back to the sensor which
records the time it takes. As the speed of the laser is known it is
possible to calculate the distance between the plane and the ground.

10. Ground reflection
Canopy
reflections
Each laser reflection is mapped using GPS to creating highly accurate
“cloud” of measurement points.
Laser reflection
points

11. In March 2014, the project captured 305km2 (30500 hectares ) of laser
scanned data across the survey area at 0.25m resolution.

12. The results of the survey
can be really dramatic…

13. The results of the survey
can be really dramatic…

14. …but the lidar survey is
just the first step!

15. In order to really understand what’s going on we need to verify the features
seen in the airborne data with field survey.
So we don’t mistake this… …for this!

16. Then we need to compare the survey results to known archaeological
sites and to archive material to deepen our understanding of change in
the landscape through time.
Known archaeological sites

17. The woodlands themselves are a hugely important part of the story – without
the protection afforded by this environment there would be far fewer traces of
the past.
We want to record the stories of those living and working in the woods, to capture the
special qualities of this landscape through the eyes of the people who live here.

18. Working with
the Community
Over 100 people have signed up to
work with us on the project,
undertaking a range of tasks.
Our main volunteering roles are in
field survey, archival research and
oral history collection.

19. Wider Engagement
We’ll be sending updates through out the project via our newsletter and news pages
on the website.

20. In late 2016 the results of the project will be shared in a number of ways:
Public Events
Online We will be commissioning a CGI recreation of the landscape to
bring it to life using the results of the lidar survey.
We will also be creating a e-book summarising the history of the
area
Open Days Through 2016 we’ll be hosting a travelling exhibition in a
number of locations throughout the project area. There’ll be an
open day at each with fun activities for all the family
Outdoors Well be creating a new series of guided walks and cycles so that
everyone can explore the heritage of this hidden landscape.

21. To find out more, contact the High
Woods team
highwoods@southdowns.gov.uk
0300 303 1053
www.southdowns.gov.uk/highwoods