ErPING FOREST. 153 



from the preliminary suit on behalf of this custom by 

 Willingale. The utmost I succeeded in effecting for 

 the Loughton people was the insertion of a clause 

 directing the Arbitrator to inquire into the custom, 

 and, if satisfied of its validity, to award compensation 

 for it, in such manner as he might think fit. 



Apart from this, the measure passed through Parlia- 

 ment with little or no amendment. The duties of the 

 arbitrator, Lord Hobhouse, proved to be most laborious ; 

 they lasted over four years. On the 24th of July, 1882, 

 he signed his final award, including a map of what was 

 thenceforward to constitute Epping Forest. During 

 the interval he held 114 public and many private 

 meetings, and settled innumerable cases of dispute 

 as to boundaries and compensation. He directed the 

 payment of the sum of 13,000 for the fuel assignments 

 in the Manors of Waltham and Sewardstone. 



With reference to the Loughton lopping custom, 

 the claims of the inhabitants were strongly resisted by 

 the Corporation. Having regard to the past interest 

 taken by the Commons Society in this right or user, 

 and to the important effect of the litigation on behalf 

 of Willingale, I was determined that every effort should 

 be made to maintain it, and to defeat the Corporation 

 in what I considered their unworthy attempts to defeat 

 the claim. 



When the 10th of November arrived, in the year 

 1879, the midnight of which by the Act was to be the 

 last occasion on which the old custom of perambulating 

 the Forest and lopping the trees would take place, I 



