This is a landscape of medium sized regular fields divided by drainage ditches. Occasional farms and small woodland plantations are scattered throughout the area. The ditches were constructed in the early 17th century under the control of the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden. The essential character of the landscape has changed little since this time although the size of the fields has altered. The drained enclosures are depicted on a plan of Hatfield Chase by Arelebout in 1639. Prior to this the land was probably a wetland common. 'The Rands' is an Old English term for edges or border and fits well with Blaxton which may be derived from 'Black Stone', a border marker. Legibility of the former landscape is fragmentary as the 'common' name persists.