On 19 Oct 2003 21:11:26 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
martin wrote:

The downs and the northern moors were not cleared of trees in modern
times. The moors were cleared during prehistoric times, the downs in
the middle ages

No, they were cleared much earlier than that. It was the change from
arable to pastoral use that happened in the middle ages.

The Kentish downs were cleared of trees by iron makers looking for
fuel.

See Rackham - that is a myth.

It was put forward as fact in a fairly recent BBC program. There are
web sites saying the same thing.

Doubtless. A myth can get around the world before the facts have
got their boots on.

The problem is to know, who is spreading myths and who has got facts.
This year's expert's facts are often debunked by the next generation
of experts. I assume that the BBC consult experts or is that a naive
idea? Lots of their history and industrial archeology programs appear
to be presented by experts.

Remembering the coming of a new ice age forecast in 1963 by the father
of British climatology
--
Martin