In the middle ages
the wood was evidently much more extensive and was called Ruislip
Common Wood or the Great Wood of Ruislip. In 1565 it comprised 860
acres of wood and underwood stretching from Northwood to the hamlet
of Park Hearne (now submerged under the Lido), and from Ducks Hill
east to Pinner over Haste Hill and Northwood Hills. In 1608 all
uncoppiced parts were sold and most of the trees removed so that
all but 292 acres remained as open common. A survey in 1721 gave
the size as 341 acres, one in 1750 as 335 acres and one in 1853 as
331 acres.
Between about 1806
and 1864 part of the south-western area of the Woods (N, O, P, Q
and R) was cleared. This was replanted sometime between then and
1905. The ridge and furrow pattern running north-south (especially
visible alongside paths, particularly along the P – Q
boundary) presumably dates from this period. Some planting with
larch appears to have taken place subsequently but many larch poles
were cut in 1897 – 98, almost all left being felled during
World War 1 (Woodman, pers.comm.). The single mature larch near
Ducks Hill Road in compartment O may be a remnant of this
plantation. The area has now reverted to secondary
woodland.
The north-west
portion of the wood (compartments A-D) did not form part of the
area sold to Middlesex County Council in 1936 ‘…as a
permanent open space (Kings College Estates Committee Minute Book,
11.10.1935) and passed from King’s College into private
ownership in June 1952. This area is excluded from consideration
and treated separately.
