Post-medieval ride between Ambresbury Banks and Broadstrood Plain, Epping Forest (EHER 81422)

A post-medieval ride known as 'The Ditches Ride' is visible as earthworks on 2023 0.25m Lidar data. This feature was mapped as part of the 2024-2025 Epping Forest Aerial and Investigation Project carried out by Historic England.

2024-2025. Epping Forest Aerial and Investigation Project. A post-medieval ride known as 'The Ditches Ride' is visible as earthworks on 2023 0.25m Lidar data (commissioned by City of London Corporation). The feature comprises two parallel ditches flanking a trackway. Much of the central sections of the ride were buried or removed as part of the construction of the Second World War stop line (EHER 10350) that runs along much of the ride’s western side. The ride runs south from the southern entrance of Ambresbury Banks, across Copley Plain, and onto Broadstrood Plain where it doglegs onto a SSW/NNW alignment before reaching the northern extent of Loughton where it likely continued prior to the modern expansion of Loughton. Forest Road now runs the length of much of the ride. It is possible that the feature originally continued eastwards, past where it now doglegs, and joined Forest Road towards Deben Green, shown by a series of braided hollow ways (EHER 81426) and a pair of parallel ditches (EHER 81425) immediately to the north of Deben Green. This feature was mapped as part of the 2024-2025 Epping Forest Aerial and Investigation Project carried out by Historic England. <1> <2>