On Thursday the 18th June a number of the Chiltern District Welsh Society were treated to an historical and archaeological walk around Hodgemoor Woods led by Nigel Rothwell and his wife Janet.
To quote two members of the group after the event: “I really enjoyed it and it was very informative. I will look at woods with new eyes from now on.” “I thought the talk today was amazing. I loved every minute of it! “ Indeed it was. Nigel had done a great deal of preparation and we were all supplied at the beginning with a booklet containing maps, photos and diagrams for reference during the walk.
We started with the Iron Age and Roman times – did you know that a road from Verulamium (St Albans) runs right through the wood? The Lidar map showed it up beautifully and Nigel was able to show us parts of the Roman road. The same map revealed an Iron Age farmstead and field system through which the road later passed. Lidar is a remote sensing technology that uses laser pulses to measure precise distances and generate highly accurate, 3D models and topographic maps of environments. Then on to an Anglo Saxon homestead and medieval field patterns with their characteristic ridge and furrow system.
Walking through the woods we were at the edge of the Parish of Seer Green. In the Domesday Book Seer Green was recorded as a detached woodland portion of the Manor of Farnham (later Farnham Royal). The land was governed by a companion of William the Conqueror, Bertram de Verdun. This is where a Welsh connection comes in. De Verdun was also a Marcher Lord!
The woods were at one time fields which gradually became wooded through the Middle Ages. Names of fields such as Further Brickmill Field gave evidence of the brick making industry that took place, together with the huge pits in the wood where the clay was dug out. Nigel was by profession a geologist so he gave us insight into why the pits, and other features such as springs were in the place they were. The underlying ground being chalk in the south-eastern corner of the wood, overlaid in the centre with clay and further north with a top layer of sand and gravel.
It was fascinating to hear of the local Chalfont St Giles “Pest House”. Apparently most parishes had one for locals with contagious diseases. It was situated on the very limit of the Parish and was only demolished round about the end of the second World War when found not fit for habitation.
During the Second World War the woods served as temporary billeting for various units, including Northamptonshire Territorials and the 51st Highland Division.
Following WW2 Hodgemoor Woods served as a Polish Resettlement Camp for allied soldiers and their families and we were shown the remains of the necessary Effluent Treatment Plant that was built for the camp. The Camp only closed down in 1962. We spotted the remains of their telegraph system way up in a large Scots Pine!
A fascinating morning. We have walked through Hodgemoor Woods on many occasions without realizing the wealth of history literally beneath our feet.
Our thanks to Nigel and his wife Janet. CDWS has made a contribution to the Seer Green and Jordans Society, of which Nigel is an active member.
The morning was rounded off with a very pleasant lunch at The White Hart in Chalfont St Giles.
A morning to remember.
Janet John 18/6/2026