DUFFIELU FOREST IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. lb'3 



it becomes apparent that there was a great larder at Belper, 

 where the venison of the deer killed off for winter stores about 

 Martinmas was salted down, ^2 2s. 8d. being paid that year 

 for salt ; that there was a great cow-house {domus vaccaria) in 

 the lower part of Shottle, by the Ecclesburn, at the place still 

 called Cowhouse Lane, and two much smaller cow-houses at 

 Belper and Postern ; that a dairy was associated with the great 

 cow-house where the cattle were stalled during the winter, and 

 that the milk of eighty-eight cows realised ;Qyo is. 3d. in the 

 year ; that the sheep were milked, but that the profits from 

 that source, as they were few in number, were added to the 

 accounts of Hartington in North Derbyshire, another member 

 of the Duchy, where there was a large sheep walk ; that ninety- 

 six does and twenty-five bucks were killed that year, of which 

 number thirty-one does and one buck were salted down at 

 Belper ; that sixteen large oaks and six smaller ones were 

 felled by special order of the Earl of Lancaster ; that the names 

 of all those to whom timber or venison was sent are entered ; 

 that the Earl's residence (and .subsequent royal shooting 

 box) was at Ravensdale, and not at Belper, as hitherto 

 universally stated ; that much building or re-building was 

 then in progress at the great house, for 7s. 6d. was paid 

 for 1,300 roofing shingles and for 200 rafters, and i6s. 

 for glazing the windows of the chapel, with lod. for iron bars 

 for the same, together with 30s. for pales to enclose a small park 

 round the mansion (mancellus) ; and that the road between the 

 parks of Shottle and Postern was repaired for the carriage of 

 coal to the lord's forge. 



One instance may be quoted of a visit of the Duke of Lan- 

 caster to his Ravensdale residence. He was there in August, 

 1375, and issued therefrom several warrants, including one to 

 the Master Forester of Duffield Frith to deliver two oaks to the 

 Carmelite Friars of Nottingham, and thirty oaks to the Domini- 

 can Friars of Derby, for building purposes. The same oflficial 

 was also instructed to permit the Abijot of Darlev to take some 

 dead wood for fuel out of the woods of the chase. 



