116 EPPING FOREST. 



to lapse, and were ultimately abandoned, and the 

 Forest was practically limited to the two main dis- 

 tricts of open land those of Epping Forest and 

 Hainault Forest. 



In the Report of the Land Revenue Commissioners 

 for 1793, it is stated that Epping Forest then con- 

 sisted of 9,000 acres of open land. It appears that 

 already the Forest was frequented by the public from 

 London for recreation, for the Commissioners, in very- 

 strong terms, said that it was most important that 

 nothing should be done to countenance its inclosure, 

 and especially so because of its close proximity to the 

 Metropolis. 



From a report made by the Lord Warden, in 1813, 

 as to the prevailing abuses, it appears that gravel and 

 sand pits were open in all directions in the Forest, and 

 that the materials were used without restraint ; the turf 

 was removed from large areas of ground ; bushes and 

 underwood were cut and taken away at pleasure ; deer- 

 stealers were so numerous that there was hardly a 

 house for miles round the Forest which did not contain 

 one or more ; encroachments and inclosures were made 

 in various parts ; oak timber was shamefully destroyed ; 

 young trees were wasted, and pollards and underwood 

 were lopped and carried away.* 



From 1793 to 1843 an almost continuous series of 



small inclosures took place of the waste laud in the 



Forest, but generally by arrangement between the Lords 



of Manors and their Commoners, and with a report of 



* Fisher's Forest of Essex," p. 33G. 



