Hood Hill Plantation has reduced in size slightly after the construction of the M1 which runs through the south-western edge of this polygon. This polygon would have been within the walls of the medieval deer park at Tankersley which are marked on early maps. Hugh de Elland was granted the right of free warren in 1303 which was used to enclose a deer park (Hey 1986, 81-2). An engraving of the park dating to around 1730 shows the parkland to be relatively intact (copy in Hey 1986, 82). Disemparkment must have begun after this point as the boundaries of the parkland shown on Jefferys map of 1775 are much reduced. Between 1795 and 1836 this area was dominated by ironstone mining. The ironstone was transported to the Elsecar Ironworks. By 1836 Elsecar was getting most of its ironstone from the Greasbrough area. There had been some bell pits sunk earlier to this as 'old Pits' are mentioned on contemporary maps (Jones 1995, 84-7). Also, small quarries are marked on early maps. The plantation woodland developed on the abandoned workings. There is a good chance that spoil heaps remain within the plantation. There is fragmentary legibility of the former deer park as the south eastern limits of the plantation follows the line of the former park wall. The origin of the former moorland landscape is uncertain.