Former common land which has developed into woodland. In places this woodland may date back earlier but it has expanded more recently. Jefferys map of 1775 doesn’t indicate any substantial woodland on the west side of the Don in this area. Hey Crook Common was definitely still open unenclosed land in 1796. This land would have been on the edge of Wharncliffe Chase in the medieval period and in 1649 it was known as Softley Park and was the home of the deer from Old Wortley Deer Park (HSY6217) (Hey 1975, 118). The edges of Softley Park are uncertain. There is no legibility of the former moorland. The origin of the former moorland landscape is uncertain though this area is likely to be moorland by the Roman period (see Bevan 2003 for discussion of environmental evidence in region). Within this polygon there were some substantial post-medieval stone quarries which developed in the 19th century (see HSY6232) (Crossland 1993).