In those early days the pit-sawyers roamed the countryside, and the saw pits were set up at various places close to forest areas.

When his horse-drawn carriage went past Thompsons Corner, the pennant would be raised and as this was in clear sight of the Parramatta garrison, they would prepare for his return in a few days.

Local stories twist this system to say that when the pennant was raised the soldiers would have to stop drinking and clean up the streets after running amok in his absence.

[2] In 1850, at a time when the combined population of Field of Mars Common and Castle Hill numbered fewer than 3,000 people, Henry Parkes approved, on behalf of the Board of National Education in New South Wales, the appointment of local patrons for the commencement of Pennant Hills Public School.

Botany, Fort Street, Smithfield and Pennant Hills were the first metropolitan schools under the control of the newly constituted Board.