Subsequently Pridden produced a new plan for Nichols, who visited with both Robinson and Pridden in 1789 (Figure 1.11).²⁷ The plans by both men are sketches but substantially more accurate in their representation of the late eighteenth century landscape than Hutton’s. Ambion Wood is less extensive than when it is depicted on the large scale Ordnance Survey map of the 1880s, while the exact position of the cottage, where Nichols says cannon balls had been found, is also difficult to locate on the latter mapping. In contrast the meadow and position within it of the small area of marsh, in which they suggest Richard’s horse was mired, can be securely located with reference to the Sutton Cheney enclosure map. Pridden also shows ‘Radmore Plain’. Significantly the name is not mentioned in the detailed terrier of the open fields of Sutton Cheney, where this land is called Sutton Cow Pasture. It would appear that Pridden has positioned ‘Radmore’ with reference to Speed’s map, or a later version thereof, with the rendering of the name itself perhaps taken from Bowen’s map.²⁸ These two interpretations were published by Nichols in his 1813 revision of Hutton’s book, which Hutton reviewed and approved, except for the minor corrections which are listed in Nichols’ ‘Advertisement’.

Hutton elaborates the traditional association of the Redmoor name with red soil, though on a very different location to Taylor in 1639, by contrasting it with what he incorrectly supposed to be ‘white’ in the name White Moor, which for no obvious reason he placed to the south-west of Shenton. The stream from Richard’s Well, running into the Sence, is also identified as that which formed the ‘morass’, hence providing the first identification of marshy ground on the south side of Ambion Wood. Significantly though, Hutton disputed the very existence of a marsh in proximity to Ambion Hill: