Site-Search
Coming Soon
|
Site-Search |
|
Page and site |
|
Dean (Forest Of) in Gloucester County England History and GeographyDEAN (FOREST of), an extra-parochial liberty, in the hundred of ST. BRIAVELL'S, county of GLOUCESTER, comprising the divisions of Denby walk, Herbert's walk, Little Dean walk, Speech-House walk, Worcester walk, and York walk, and containing 5535 inhabitants: the centre of the forest is 5 miles (S.W. by W.) from Newnham. There are three chapelries in the Forest of Dean, viz., Christ Church, endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £2300 parliamentary grant; the chapel of the Holy Trinity, endowed with £200 private benefication, and £2500 parliamentary grant; and St. Paul's, endowed with £2200 parliamentary grant; all of which are perpetual curacies, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Gloucester. This district, extending from north to south twenty miles, from east to west ten miles, and lying between the rivers Severn and Wye, was anciently occupied by the Silures, and probably obtained its name either from the contraction of the Gaelic word Arden, a wood, or from the British Danys Coed, the wood of fallow deer, for which it was famous for many centuries. Within its original bounds were situated the very ancient towns of Tudenham and Wollaston; also on the margin of the Severn, the Abona of Antoninus, long since reduced to a small village, called Alvington; and on the Wye, Brculais Castle, embosomed in almost an impenetrable thicket, and now fallen to decay. In the reign of Henry II., so dark and intricate were its tracts or cross ways, that the inhabitants committed the most daring outrages and robberies with impunity, until restrained by the discovery of its rich mines of iron and coal, and the consequent establishment of forges, by authority of parliament, together with the erection of towns and villages for the residence of the miners and manufacturers; before which, the six lodges for the keepers of the several walks were the only houses in it. All the inhabitants are exempted from rates and taxes, with free liberty of pasturage and to cut wood, and the privilege of sinking mines, the sixth part of the produce of which, called the king's gawl, is due to the king, and is collected by the gaveller. The forest, as defined in the 12th of Henry III., the definition having been subsequently confirmed, is stated to comprise twenty-three thousand and fifteen acres, belonging to the crown, exclusively of freeholds obtained by grants. Charles I. conveyed all the coppices and waste soil of the forest, except the Lea Bailey, with all mines and quarries, to Sir John Wyntour, for £10,600, and a fee-farm rent of £1950. 12. 8. for ever, at which time there were standing one hundred and five thousand five hundred and fifty-seven trees, estimated to contain sixty-one thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight tons of timber, and one hundred and fifty-three thousand two hundred and nine cords of wood; but the civil war putting an end to the patent, the enclosures were thrown open, and the whole re-forested; however, a renewal of the grant, excepting the timber fit for naval purposes, was made by Charles II. to the same individual; but, on a survey made by the parliament in 1667, it was discovered that he had made great encroachments upon the property of the crown, to repair which one thousand one hundred acres were then enclosed and planted; from this plantation the royal dock-yards are chiefly supplied. There are orchards producing a peculiar kind of fruit, called the Styre apple, the cyder made from which is of a superior quality, and bears a high price. It is affirmed that the commander of the Spanish Armada had directions, if he failed in subduing the kingdom, to destroy every tree in the Forest of Dean. The government is vested in a lord warden, who is constable of St. Briavell's Castle; six deputy wardens, four verdurers, chosen by the freeholders, a conservator, seven woodwards, a chief forester in fee, and bow bearer, which united offices are held by the Wyndham family, in right of inheritance; eight foresters in fee, a gaveller, and a steward of the swainmote, who are empowered to hold a court of attachment every forty days; a court of swainmote thrice a year, and a court called the justice seat, once in three years. The steward presides at the miners' court, and is assisted by a jury of miners, who judge upon the particular laws and customs by which they are governed, to prevent encroachments upon each other in the coal and iron works. These courts are held at the Speech-House, in the centre of the forest, the general aspect of which is picturesque in the extreme, being beautifully diversified with hill and valley, interspersed with the rich and varied foliage of the woods. Pursuant to an act passed in the 36th of George III., new roads have been opened in various directions through the forest, which is also intersected by several railways, communicating with the Severn and the Wye. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
Readers of this page were also interested in: Hilton in Dorset County England History and Geography HILTON, a parish in the hundred of WHITEWAY, Cerne sub-division of the county of DORSET, 7½ miles (W.S.W.) from Blandford-Forum, containing 610 inhabitants. The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Dorset, and diocese of Bristol, rated in the king's books at £8. 10. 5., and in the patronage of the Bishop of Salisbury. The church is dedicated to All Saints Lambourn in Berks County England History and Geography LAMBOURN, a parish in the hundred of LAMBOURN, county of BERKS, comprising the market town of Chipping-Lambourn, and the tythings of Blagrave with Hadley, Eastbury with Bockhampton, and Upper Lambourn, and containing 2299 inhabitants, of which number, 1096 are in the town of Chipping-Lambourn, 5 miles (N.) from Hungerford, and 68 (W.) from London Oxfordshire in Oxford County England History and Geography OXFORDSHIRE, an inland county, bounded on the south-west, south, and south-east by Berkshire; on the east by Buckinghamshire; on the north-east by Northamptonshire; on the north and north-west by Warwickshire; and on the west by Gloucestershire. It extends from 51? 28' to 52? 9' (N. Lat Wandsworth in Surrey County England History and Geography WANDSWORTH, a parish in the western division of the hundred of BRIXTON, county of SURREY, 6 miles (S.W.) from London, containing 6702 inhabitants. The name of this place is derived from its situation on the river Wandle, which falls into the Thames in this parish Weybridge in Surrey County England History and Geography WEYBRIDGE, a parish in the first division of the hundred of ELMBRIDGE, county of SURREY, 20 miles (S.W. by W.) from London, containing 897 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Surrey, and diocese of Winchester, rated in the king's books at £7. 0. 5., and in the patronage of the Crown. The church, dedicated to St Widdrington in Northumberland County England History and Geography WIDDRINGTON, a parochial chapelry in the eastern division of MORPETH ward, county of NORTHUMBERLAND, 8 miles (N.E. by N.) from Morpeth, containing 388 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Northumberland, and diocese of Durham, endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £800 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Vernon |
