The Brail Near Savernake Forest—Yes We Are Back!—Savernake Part 7

I bumped into a chap in Savernake Forest a couple of weeks ago and we discusses what brail meant (it was marked on the map over woods near Savernake). It turns out they are related in some way to royal control of forests or at least their beasts and seem also related to the work bailiwick which seems to be a subdivision of a forest.

This latest walk stays in the parish of Great Bedwyn but on the border with Wilton and explores these notions while wandering around the bail itself. I also discuss sustainable farming, illustrated by the herbal leys and nitrogen fixing plants here. Also wildflowers.

These history walk videos are about the English landscape in and around the south west of England (though I make the odd foray into Wales). I often use ancient charters (such as Saxon charters) to give me insight into the way the landscape was viewed in the past.

But it is not the Saxons that interest me the most (though they do) but the prehistoric world and its ancient monuments, trackways and ditches.

#Archaeology #oldenglishcharters #antiquarians #historywalks #britishhistory