185 



Sir Robert Harley (son of Thomas Harley) was in 1604 made Forester of 

 Bringwood, alias Bomigwood Forest, and custodian of Prestwood Chase, both 

 adjoining Darvold, but which had become separate inclosures made from time 

 to time, as the great tract of woodland was broken up by the advance of civili- 

 zation and the enormous consumption of timber in the Baron's wars — {Henry 

 III., 1258-65.) 



In 1632 a survey of Mochtree and Darvold was made by a Jlr. Samuel 

 Parsons, which is alluded to in deeds about to be mentioned. It is as follows : — 

 Mochtree contains 1,.337 acres, 

 And Darvold 1,330 acres ; 

 but it only includes the portion of Darvold at that time unenclosed. 



Sir Henry Lindley having sei^arated the forests from the Castle and 

 honour of "Wigmore conveyed them back to King Charles I., who, by Letters 

 Patent, granted unto the Earl of Lindsey and his heirs, the Chases or Forests 

 of Mochtree, Bringwood, Prestwood and Darvold, at the yearly rent of 

 £55 2s. ll^d., by virtue whereof the Earl entered, intending to improve the 

 same, and after some treaty with the inhabitants of Wigmore Borough, Adforten, 

 Letton, Newton, Stanway, Ljinebrook, Dervolds Chappel, the Grange and 

 Peytoe, Walford Overlye, and Netherlye, Sherlye, Lingen and Teattons, who 

 claimed to have a right of Common in the Forest of Dervold, an agreement dated 

 2nd September, 1637, was entered into between the said Earl and inhabitants of 

 ye said townships, and signed by Sir Robert Harley, K.B., and Somerset 

 Fox, Esq. , that the said Earl should inclose for his own use one half of the Forest 

 of Deerfold, so as the said commoners might have sufficient passage with their 

 cattle to water ; and the other half of the Forest to be to the said commoners, 

 whereof "Woodwood to be part, and 200 stubs to be allotted by the Earl to be 

 left in lievi of estovers for the use of the commoners, and Somerset Fox to have 

 the Eowle for his tenants of Letton, Newton and Adferton in lieu of estovers, 

 the tenants for their part referring the division to Sir Robert Harley, The 

 Earl ditched and enclosed his half, but the inhabitants receding from the 

 agreement brok« down his mounds and fences and turned their cattle into th« 

 Earl's half of the Forest. 



The Earl filed his BiU in Chancery against Sir Robert Harley, Somerset 

 Fox, James Lewis, Bailiff of the Borough of Wigmore, John Maddox and 

 others, who appeared and expressed their willingness to abide by the agreement. 



The said letters patent were surrendered, and another grant thereof made 

 by King Charles to Sir George Whitmore, Sir William Sawyer, and Wm. Gibson, 

 Merchant Taylor, who approved of the agreement and desired to be made parties 

 to the suit, whereupon a decree was made in confirmation of the agi-eement. No 

 inclosure followed this decree. 



Owing to some dispute with the Commons the same year as the grant to 

 Lord Lindsey was made, a grant by which it was agreed that the said Earl 

 should "disafforest and destroye the deer therein, " which it was pretended by 

 the Commoners "do great hurt and damage them in their come, whereby they 



