166 



in Shropshire but now in the northern part of Herefordshire, in which Edric, 

 Earl of Shrewsbury, " Edric Sylvaticus," the forester, successfully maintained 

 the Saxon cause for some years after the Norman conquest of England. Edrio 

 subsequently swore allegiance to King William ; but owing to some offence given 

 to him by the King, he revolted between the years 1072 and 1085. Ralph de 

 Mortimer was deputed to reduce him, and having with considerable difficulty 

 succeeded in doing so, he was rewarded by William with a large share of Edrio's 

 possessions. 



At the time of the Domesday Survey (1085) the whole district was little 

 more than a wild chase, and was otherwise wholly unproductive. "In his 

 wastis terris excreverunt silvae in quibus iste Osbernus venationem exercet, et 

 inde habet quod capere potest, nil aliud." This Osborn was Osborn Fitz Richard, 

 the Lord of Richard's Castle and Ludford, who was associated with Ralph de 

 Mortimer in the overthrow of Earl Edric. 



Wolves abounded in these forests, and continued to do so for two centuries 

 later ; and the Hundred Rolls abound in curious laws and customs which prevailed 

 in them. " Hugh de Mortimer, a Lord of Richard's Castle, on the death of hia 

 step-father, William de Stuteville, in 1259, was an active partisan of Henry III. 

 in his wars with the Barons, being temporarily deprived of his castle by them ; 

 and for his heroism at the battle of Evesham (1265), was granted the privilege of 

 hunting the hare, the fox, weasel, and wild cat in any of the Royal forests of 

 Shropshire." — Robinson's " Castles of Herefordshire," 'p. 119. 



For many a long year these united forests formed the hunting grounds of 

 the Lords of Wigmore. Deer abounded in them, and it is a fair presumption 

 that the Forest of Deerfold owes its name to the fact of the deep narrow vallies 

 on its western side, being favourable to the formation of ' ' Hayes. " The 

 " Haie" so frequently mentioned as occurring among the sylvse in Domesday 

 were ambuscades, into which the game was driven by beating the woods with 

 horns and dogs, and which were so fenced in at the sides and end as to prevent 

 escape when once the animals had entered. 



" The dryvars thorowe the woodea went 



For to reas the dear ; 

 Bomen bickarte uppone the bent 



With their browd aras cleare. 



Then the wyld thnrowe the woodes went 



On every side shear ; 

 Grea-hondes thorowe the greves glent 



For to kyll thear dear." — Chevy Chase. 



The narrow vallies on the slopes of the forest near Lingen were admirably adapted 

 for this purpose : and in Domesday vi. (Shropshire), in enumerating the lands of 

 Ralph de Mortimer " at Linghan," it is said "ibi dimidium leuua silve et iii haie 

 capreolis capiendis," there half a league of wood and three ' Hayes,' for taking 

 young deer or kids belonged to him. 



Game of another kind was also amply afforded by the Forest of Deerfold. 

 The small streams and marshy pools of the Dickendale meadows and the Haven 

 dingle would be the frequent resort of herons, and it is scarcely possible to 



