FORESTRY 



During a like period the gifts of wood from Sherwood included five oaks to Gilbert Spigurnel, 

 for making a mill ; five oaks and thirty tie-beams to Simon, chaplain of Hugh de Burgh ; thirty 

 oaks to the prior and monks of Lenton, suitable for timber for the works of their church ; twenty 

 oaks to Brian de Insula ; five lime trees (tei/z) to the Franciscan friars of Nottingham, for making 

 their stalls ; thirty oaks to William de Kirkham, dean of St. Martin's, London, for timber for the 

 works of his chancel at Elm ; forty rafters to brother Robert de Dyva ; ten oaks to Robert Lupus, 

 and fifteen oaks to William de Albini for making rafters. 1 Numerous examples could also be given 

 of the gifts of Edward I from this forest. 



The royal warrants of this period for Sherwood venison, or of deer for park-stocking, are fairly 

 frequent. The king kept Easter, 1276, at Lincoln, and orders were issued on 13 March for fifteen 

 Sherwood does to be supplied at that season for royal use, in addition to twelve bucks from Galtres Forest. 2 

 Adam de Everingham was ordered, in September, 1277, to supply Richard Folyot with two live 

 bucks and ten live does towards stocking his park at Grimeston ; 3 and in 1279 eight does and four 

 bucks were supplied to William de Colwick to help to stock his park at Colwick. 4 



Two ecclesiastics were the special recipients of favours from the great Nottingham forest. 

 Edward I was much attached to the two younger sons of Walter Bek, baron of Eversley, Thomas 

 and Anthony. Both were king's clerks, and both eventually obtained high promotion. Thomas, 

 the second son, was consecrated bishop of St. David's in 1280. On Christmas Day of the following 

 year Edward I granted him four live bucks and eight live does towards stocking his park at Pleasley, 

 on the Derbyshire fringe of the forest. On the same day a royal letter was dispatched to the forest 

 justices ordering them not to molest the bishop on account of four bucks taken by him in the 

 previous autumn, when passing through this forest, as the king had sanctioned this action by word 

 of mouth. In 1283 the same bishop was granted twelve good oaks for timber out of these woods. 

 Anthony Bek, the third son, the celebrated bishop of Durham, was a still greater favourite of 

 Edward I. In 1282 twenty good oaks were granted him out of Sherwood for the construction of 

 his house at Somerton, and also four bucks and eight does towards stocking his park at Rothwell. 

 In the following year he received further timber and live deer. The king, as a special mark of his 

 favour, at the time of Anthony's consecration to the bishopric of Durham in 1284, forwarded to 

 the bishop the largest grant out of Sherwood Forest of which there is record, namely ten live bucks 

 and twenty live does. 6 



The custom of making royal warrant grants of timber or venison died out, save for a very few 

 exceptions, with the reign of Edward II. The Close Rolls of that reign yield, however, interesting 

 particulars with regard to the six Sherwood verderers. These officials, who presided at the forest 

 courts, were, as has been stated, responsible to the crown ; they were elected by the county court for 

 life, but could be removed by the crown for incapacity, lack of property qualification within the 

 jurisdiction, etc. In 1309 a writ de viridario ellgendo was addressed to the sheriff of Nottingham 

 ordering the election of a Sherwood verderer in the place of the recently chosen Robert Joste, who 

 was insufficiently qualified. In August, 1311, the sheriff was instructed to see to the election of 

 another verderer in the place of Richard de Byngham, deceased. In November, 1312, an election 

 was ordered to fill the place of Nicholas de Wydmarpole, as he had no lands within the forest 

 limits, nor did he dwell therein. Sampson de Estrebley was removed from the office of verderer of 

 the king in 1313 in consequence of unfitness. In this same year the king removed Peter Foun 

 from his verderership, because he was found to be insufficiently qualified and unfit. The late sheriff 

 had caused Peter to be suddenly elected in the place of Nicholas de Wydmarpole, although Nicholas, 

 as the king subsequently found out, had sufficient lands within the forest and was a useful and fit 

 man for the position. A writ to the sheriff of a like character in 1314 gave longer reasons for the 

 removal of John de Ludham, for it stated that John did not continuously dwell within the county, 

 and was so occupied with the affairs of divers men that he could not attend to his duties as verderer. 

 Nicholas de Wydmarpole was reinstated in 1313, but he did not hold the office long, for he was 

 again removed in the following year, being incapacitated by infirmity ; he is described as suffering 

 from such incurable infirmity that 'sometimes he cannot leave his house without great risk to his life, 

 and has remained continuously indoors for four months.' Thomas de Langevillers was removed in 

 1314 on account of having no lands in the county ; Robert de Pirpoint for insufficiency in 1315 ; 

 John Doylly for age and infirmity in 1318 ; and John Bilthewater of Edwinstowe and John 

 Annesley for like causes in 1322." Similar writs affecting the Sherwood verderers also occur from 

 time to time throughout the reign of Edward III. 



When the Parliament was held at Lincoln at the beginning of the year 1316 great provision of 

 wood was made from Sherwood. The archbishopric of York was then vacant and in the king's 

 hands, and Edward II ordered in January the keeper of the forest to deliver to the sheriff of 



1 Close, 16 Hen. Ill, m. 14, 12, II, 3 ; 17 Hen. Ill, m. 6 ; 18 Hen. Ill, m. 26, 19, 18, 16. 



1 Ibid. 4 Edw I, m. 13. ' Ibid. 5 Edw. I, m. 3. 



4 Ibid. 7 Edw. I, m. 4. 5 Close and Pat. R. Edward I, passim, 



* Close R. temp. Edward II, passim. 



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