196 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



been guilty of the offence in my Field articles for 

 some years ; but my critics had only just begun to 

 realize that the name I used had been generally 

 adopted. 



I ventured to call the wood which is close to 

 Ragdale by that name, and the majority of people 

 know it now as such. Perhaps I may as well add 

 here the explanation I wrote at the time, but which 

 I fear did not appease the wrath of my critics. 



" The alteration of an old-estabHshed name 

 would, of course, be an unpardonable offence, but, 

 in this instance, it is possibly merely the restitution 

 of a more ancient title. On a very old map it is 

 plainly marked ' Rakedale Wood,' which proves 

 the existence and use of the name before even the 

 most venerable of my critics was born. Thrussing- 

 ton Wolds, the name by which they wish to de- 

 scribe the wood, was the local term which em- 

 braced all the fiat or wold land in the parish. Within 

 that area were many patches of straggling, unen- 

 closed gorse, which held foxes, and with the wood 

 became eventually known as Thrussington Wolds ; 

 but that is no reason one should lose sight of the 

 original title of one particular portion of the wolds. 

 About the time of Waterloo wheat was making a 

 big price, and all available land was brought into 

 cultivation for the purpose of raising crops. The 

 wolds, which had hitherto afforded a bare existence 

 for a few lean cattle, and a resting-place for the 

 travelling fox, was then ploughed up and made to 

 take its part in producing food for the country. 

 In the process of time the high prices for wheat 

 went down, and much of the poor land reverted 

 to its original state. For generations gorse had 



