© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)
Dene holes in Hangman's Wood is a scheduled ancient monument comprising a series of chalk-extraction pits located in Essex. These features date from the medieval period and represent evidence of the exploitation of underlying chalk deposits, likely for use in construction and agricultural purposes. The holes are characteristic of the dene hole phenomenon found across south-eastern England, where shallow shafts were sunk into the chalk to extract material for local use. The survival of these features provides valuable archaeological evidence of medieval land use and resource management practices in the Essex landscape.
Dene holes in Hangman's Wood is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002156. View the official record →
Dene holes in Hangman's Wood is a scheduled ancient monument comprising a series of chalk-extraction pits located in Essex.
Dene holes in Hangman's Wood is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1002156.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tilbury Fort (4.3 km), Aspdin's kiln (4.6 km), Gravesend blockhouse (5.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Dene holes in Hangman's Wood's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Dene holes in Hangman's Wood stands on Thanet Sand Formation, bedrock that formed in the Thanetian. The rock here is sand, silt and clay.