7© A HISTORY OF PEAK FOREST. 



the 'Justice Seat' and Swanimote courts were usually held. 

 Langdenedale comprehended the whole of the Glossop district ; 

 whilst Hopedale, as will be seen from Bradshavv's note, included 

 the whole of Ashope and Edale. 



It must not be supposed that the whole of the territory 

 within the Forest boundary was covered with timber or vert ; 

 probably much of the poorer tracts were heath and bog ; 

 portions within the purlieus were under cultivation, whilst 

 extensive glades and thinly wooded districts afforded pannage 

 for pigs, and grass for the agisiment of cattle. 



Woo^0 in rtJeaft Soxeei. 



It may seem almost an anomaly to speak of woods in forests, 

 but Manwood, in his book of Forest Laws (p. 370), affirms that 

 " 'Tis necessary that there should be woods in every forest, both 

 to shelter, and at some times, to feed the deer ; and, therefore, 

 the laws of the Forest have, in a particular manner, provided for 

 the preservation of the trees and coverts there. But they make 

 some difference between Woods and Coverts ; for where the trees 

 grow scattering, and at such a distance that they do not touch 

 one another, such places are properly called ' Woods' Coverts 

 are those woods which are thickets, and full of trees touching 

 one another. By this word they understand all those trees 

 and woods which grow thick together — from the French word 

 ' Convert,' which signifies a covering or hiding-place for the 

 deer." 



There were numerous woods in Peak Forest, especially in the 

 Longdendale Bailliwic. A very careful report of the condition 

 of all the woods was presented at the " Pleas of the Forest 

 held at Derby on the Morrow of S. Michael, 13 Ed. I. (1285) 

 before Roger Extraneus, Peter de Leuch, and John the son of 

 Nigel, justices assigned to hear and determine the same pleas." 

 We cannot do better than follow these reports seriatim, because 

 they supply us with so much interesting local information, 

 especially with regard to the invasion of the forest solitudes by 

 the ever aggressive tendency of an increasing population. 



