Scabba Wood is a compartmentalised 'Ancient Replanted Woodland' defined by English Nature as "areas of ancient woodland where the original native tree cover has been felled and replaced by planted stock most commonly of a species not native to the site". Around half the area of 'Wetland Wood' (a subdivision of Scabba) appears from 1997 aerial photography to correspond to this description with evident conifers present, however the central compartment appears to retain broadleaved cover more typical of the 'Ancient Semi Natural' category. Throughout this area archaeological survey (Chadwick and Robbins 1998) revealed substantial 'ridge and furrow' earthworks characteristic of medieval cultivation (features 15-43) cut by later quarrying (76-98) and interpreted as "within the medieval open field system of Sprotborough" (ibid, 7). It is worth noting that the boundary of this area corresponds for much of its length with the current boundary between Sprotborough and Cadeby Parish. Partial legibility of medieval cultivation .