The trends identified in the medieval period can be seen to continue on to the nineteenth century and later. By 1650, the Wolds was a hedgeless and treeless countryside, given over, in large measure, to sheep.

Bushes and trees - with the exception of whins or furze - remained a rarity on the High Wolds until well into the eighteenth century. Gorse was common, but its growth was controlled as it was in demand for fuel. Great tracts of wold land were devoted to sheep pasture and rabbit warren in both open and enclosed townships. In the first half of the eighteenth century it is probable that at least one half, or perhaps as much as two-thirds, of the chalk country was under grass.

The central and eastern Wolds were the best arable lands, with barley, followed by wheat, as the main crops. It is clear that, as now, barley was dominant on loamy and lighter soils, and wheat dominant on the boulder clay soils. In terms of livestock, sheep predominated.