During an excavation of the findspot in 1984 the spearhead, measuring 4.75 inches (121 mm) in length, was found to have been lying in an oval pit with fragments of pottery, indicating it to be the collection of domestic waste from a settlement.

[9] Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, Ernulf de Hesdin was given the manor of Ruislip, which included the woods, in recognition of his service to William the Conqueror.

[11] During the Abbey's ownership, timber from the woods was used in the construction of the Tower of London in 1339, Windsor Castle in 1344, the Palace of Westminster in 1346 and the manor of the Black Prince in Kennington.

[13] The manor of Ruislip became part of the Ruislip-Northwood Urban District, though it remained under the ownership of King's College, Cambridge.

A town-planning competition led to a design being chosen that envisaged the clearance of much of the woods and historic sites in Ruislip to make way for 7,642 homes, enough for 35,000 residents, across the manor.

A planning scheme adapted from the original was presented to the public in February 1913 and was approved by the Local Government Board in September 1914.

King's had also wished to present the wood as a gift but was required by the University and College's Act to receive payment as it was the trustee of the land.

[14] In 1984, Battle of Britain House, which had been built in Copse Wood in 1905 by Josef Conn, was destroyed by fire and the ruins demolished.

The house was originally a private home, but during the Second World War was used by the United States military to train saboteur agents for missions in occupied France.

[18] Wild flowers are also in abundance around the woods, and include common knapweed, harebell, rosebay willowherb, heather, bluebell, woodanemone, yellow archangel, snowdrops and honeysuckle.