39 



CHAPTER III. 



The Commons Preservation Society. 



The Report of the Committee of 1865 was followed 

 almost immediately by most important consequences. 

 The Lords of Manors of the London Commons, having 

 failed to induce the Committee to adopt their con- 

 tention that they were practically the owners of the 

 Commons, and that the Commoners' rights had 

 lapsed by non-use, took immediate steps to vindicate 

 their claims. In all directions inclosures were com- 

 menced or threatened. In Epping Forest hundreds of 

 acres were taken from the Forest, and were fenced. The 

 Commons of Berkhamsted, Plumstead, and Tooting, 

 and Bostall Heath were inclosed. Hampstead Heath 

 and others were seriously menaced, and would doubt- 

 less soon have been lost to the public. If these 

 inclosures had been allowed to remain unchallenged, the 

 whole of the London Commons would have been un- 

 doubtedly lost to the public. The opponents to the pre- 

 tensions of the Lords of Manors were equally determined 

 to put in force their views, and to resist inclosures. In 

 the autumn of 1805, on the suggestion of Mr. P. H. 

 Lawrence, a Society was founded for the preservation 

 of Commons in the neighbourhood of London, with 

 the express purpose of offering resistance to these 



