"Directly north of Birch Wood lies the 'Roman Ridge', built between 450 and 600 AD to defend the Celtic kingdom of Elmet from the advancing Anglo-Saxons. The earliest record of the woodland itself dates from 1776 and it is also shown on an Ordnance Survey map dating from 1851. Although there is no documentary evidence showing that Birch Wood is an ancient woodland (more than 400 years old), this is strongly suggested by a number of other lines of evidence. The situation of the woodland, in the sometimes steep-sided valley of the Collier Brook, is typical of ancient woodland sites, as is its diverse ground flora, which includes a number of plants typical of ancient woodlands, such as Yellow Archangel and Wood Sorrel." (http://www.heritagewoodsonline.co.uk/map/006/006.html). In addition, comparison between 2002 OS landline data and historic mapping shows that traces of the 'Birch Wood Works (Chemicals)' shown on the 1851 OS are still in existence within the woodlands. Whites directories from 1849 - 1856 list the property as "White, Luke and James, manufacturing chemists" (White 1849, 351). These remains are at SK4355,9778. Unknown legibility of landscape types earlier than the woodlands.