180 



abroad. The last solution seems the most probable, for he was far too well known 

 to be burnt anonymously, and the great foresight and caution which stand so 

 prominently forward in the study of his character, create the belief that he 

 would not fail to find some means of escaping his enemies. 



It is highly probable that the advantages of the Forest of Deerfold as a 

 Bafe refuge were pointed out to Swyuderby by Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham. 

 He possibly jirocured for him the protection of the Mortimers, to whom the 

 Forest belonged, and there can be little doubt but that he maintained Swynderby 

 during his residence here, since it was one of the charges against that great and 

 good man, that he supiioited Lollard jsreachers at this time in the dioceses of 

 London, Rochester, and Hereford. The church of Almeley, moreover, a 

 residence of the Oldoastle's, was one of those chiu'ches in which it is known that 

 he officiated on his first arrival in the county. 



There is no proof that Sir John Oldcastle himself spent any time at the 

 Forest, or even visited it ; but it is extremely probable that he did so, not only 

 before his own persecution, but also after his escape from the Tower, when it 

 is known that he spent the chief part of his time at no great distance from it. 



A small promontory, jutting out from the high ground of the Forest on its 

 western side, between Limebrook and Lingen, is called " Oldcastle." It consists 

 of a few acres of table laml, surrounded to the North, West, and South sides by 

 steep wood-covered declivities. It would be a safe refuge, or fonn an excellent 

 outpost, in a military point of view, in defence of the Forest, and indeed it 

 presents an excellent site for a castle. There are, however, no traces of occu- 

 pation about it, and not a vestige of castle, mound, or earthwork of any 

 description. How it came by the name of " Oldcastle " is not known. It may be 

 added that the land pays tithe, whereas the adjoining lands belonging to Lime- 

 brook Nunnery are exempt. 



The Lollards must have remained in the Forest of Deerfold for some 

 considerable time, for though nothing more is accurately known with regard to 

 them here, the enqixiries that have given rise to this paper have led to the 

 discovei-y of an old oak building of a very interesting character, which the name 

 and traditions of the phtce point out as their chapel. It is the house itself of 

 the " Chapel farm," and from time immemorial has been occupied as a farm- 

 house. In an adjoining orchard are two large yew trees, which tradition states 

 mark the burial gi-ound. 



Nothing is known with regard to the site of the chantry in the Forest, in 

 which Swynderby first officiated ; but at Newton, where he was also accused of 

 having held services, is a field called the " Chapel Meadow," and in this field 

 the foundation of some sjrt of building can stiU be traced. 



The accompanying sketches and exact description of the " Chapel farm " 

 house, which may fairly be presumed to have been used by the Lollards as a 

 residence or chapel, or both, have been kindly made for this paper. Whatever 

 its exact object may have been, the building is of extreme intei est, both as a 

 specimen of Ma-dieval design and as showing the enduring nature of our oak 

 timber as a building niatcriah 



