Chapter I: Front Matter

THE ANTIQUARY’S BOOKS

GENERAL EDITOR: J. CHARLES COX, LL.D., F.S.A.

THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND

(1720)]

THE ROYAL FORESTS
OF ENGLAND

BY
J. CHARLES COX, LL.D., F.S.A.

WITH FIFTY-THREE ILLUSTRATIONS

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

_First Published in 1905_

THIS ATTEMPT TO DELINEATE SOME OF THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND

IS DEDICATED

WITH MUCH ADMIRATION AND RESPECT TO

RICHARD HISCO WHITWORTH

CHAPLAIN OF NEWSTEAD PRIORY AND FOR FORTY YEARS VICAR OF BLIDWORTH

IN RECOGNITION OF THE REMARKABLE GRIP THAT HE HAS OBTAINED OVER THE FOREST-LORE OF SHERWOOD AND OF HIS SKILL AS A MODERN BALLAD-WRITER ON THE OLD ROMANTIC LINES

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. EARLY FORESTS 1

II. THE FOREST COURTS 10

III. THE FOREST OFFICERS 17

IV. THE BEASTS OF THE FOREST 25

V. THE FOREST AGISTMENTS 41

VI. HOUNDS AND HUNTING 47

VII. THE TREES OF THE FOREST 68

VIII. LATER FOREST HISTORY 76

IX. THE FORESTS OF NORTHUMBERLAND,
CUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, AND
DURHAM 87

X. THE FORESTS OF LANCASHIRE 98

XI. THE FORESTS OF YORKSHIRE—PICKERING
AND GALTRES 107

XII. THE FORESTS OF CHESHIRE 131

XIII. THE FORESTS OF STAFFORDSHIRE 137

XIV. THE FOREST OF THE HIGH PEAK 150

XV. DUFFIELD FRITH 181

XVI. SHERWOOD FOREST 204

XVII. THE FORESTS OF SHROPSHIRE,
WORCESTER, WARWICK, AND HEREFORD 223

XVIII. THE FORESTS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND
RUTLAND 231

XIX. THE FOREST OF ROCKINGHAM 237

XX. THE FOREST OF OXFORDSHIRE 257

XXI. THE FORESTS OF BERKSHIRE,
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, AND
HUNTINGDONSHIRE 266

XXII. THE FOREST OF DEAN 274

XXIII. THE FOREST OF ESSEX 283

XXIV. THE FOREST OF WINDSOR 287

XXV. THE FORESTS OF SUSSEX 301

XXVI. THE FORESTS OF HAMPSHIRE 304

XXVII. THE FORESTS OF WILTS 313

XXVIII. THE FORESTS OF DORSETSHIRE 330

XXIX. THE FORESTS OF SOMERSETSHIRE 333

XXX. THE FOREST OF DARTMOOR 340

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

PAGE

Verderer’s Slab, Bakewell 17
J. Charles Wall.

Verderer’s Slab, Chelmorton 18
J. Charles Wall.

Forester’s Slab, Wirksworth 18
J. Charles Wall.

Forester’s Slab, Bakewell 19
J. Charles Wall.

Forester’s Slab, Hope 19
J. Charles Wall.

Forester’s Slab, Hope 21
J. Charles Wall.

Forester’s Slab, Papplewick 21
J. Charles Wall.

Woodward’s Slab, Newcastle-on-Tyne 23
J. Charles Wall.

Woodward’s Slab, Papplewick 23
J. Charles Wall.

Hunting Dogs 51

Berners or Harbourers 55

Wyrall Effigy 66

Wyrall Effigy 67

Deer Hunters of Cranborne Chase 83
V. M. M. Cox.

Hunting Costume, Seventeenth Century 89

Chief Forester’s Slab, Durham 97
J. Charles Wall.

Hunting Costume, Thirteenth Century 182

Letters in Centre of Oak 221

Hunting Costume, Fourteenth Century 238

Cattle Brands, Essex Forest 285

The Hart (Turbervile) 298

King and Queen Oaks, New Forest 308
M. E. Purser.

The Hare (Turbervile) 334

LIST OF PLATES

The Greendale Oak _Frontispiece_
From Strutt’s _Sylva Britannica_, 1826.

I. The King Hunting (1) _To face page_ 4
Brit. Mus. MSS., Royal 10 E. iv., ff. 253-4.

II. The King Hunting (2) ” 8
Brit. Mus. MSS., Royal 10 E. iv., ff. 255-6.

III. Head of Attachment Court Roll ” 14
Accounts Exch. Q. R., 134/16, _temp._ Edw. II.

IV. Red Deer ” 26
From Gilpin’s _Forest Scenery_, 1791.

V. Wild Boars ” 30
Brit. Mus. MSS., Add. 27, 699.

VI. Wolf and Sheepfold and Wild Goats ” 32
Brit. Mus. MSS., Royal 12 C. xix., ff. 14, 19.

VII. Pigs of the New Forest ” 42
From Gilpin’s _Forest Scenery_, 1791.

VIII. Netting in Woods and Streams ” 58
Brit. Mus. MSS., Cott., Tib. A. vii., f. 51.

IX. The Four Beasts of Venery ” 60

X. The Four Beasts of Chase ” 62

XI. The Four Beasts of Sport ” 64
Plates IX., X., and XI., are from Cott. MSS.,
Vesp. B. xii., ff. 1, 2.

XII. Maple Tree, Boldre Churchyard ” 72
From Strutt’s _Sylva Britannica_, 1826.

XIII. Straw Helmets and Swindgel of the Deer-hunters
of Cranborne Chase ” 84
V. M. M. Cox.

XIV. Deer Stalking ” 102
Brit. Mus. Add. MSS., 27, 699, ff. 108-9.

XV. Forest Hermit ” 108
Brit. Mus. MSS., Royal 19 E. iii., f. 133.

XVI. Berner and Limehound, and Crossbow Shooting ” 122

XVII. Dog Leeching and Rewarding the Hounds ” 140

XVIII. Foxes, Deer in Forest, and Wolves ” 164
Plates XVI., XVII., and XVIII. are from Add.
MSS., 27, 699, ff. 6, 20, 23, 28, 50, 58, 109.

XIX. Sherwood Forester of Fee, Skegby Church ” 204
Photograph from the Rev. H. J. Stamper.

XX. Monument of Thomas Leake, Blidworth Church ” 216
Photograph from the Rev. R. H. Whitworth.

XXI. Haywood Oaks, Blidworth ” 222
Photographs from Rev. R. H. Whitworth.

XXII. Ladies Rabbiting ” 304
Brit. Mus. MSS., Royal 10 E. iv.

XXIII. The Hill Woods, Lyndhurst ” 316
From “The New Forest,” Horace G. Hutchinson.

XXIV. A Deer Leap, Wolseley Park ” 330
W. Salt, _Arch. Soc._, vol. v.