158 EPPING FOREST. 



probably been taken from the folk-land for the purpose 

 of a Royal Forest, and the Forest was dedicated for 

 ever to the use and enjoyment of the public. It has 

 been stated that the total cost of the proceedings of 

 the Corporation, in vindication of their rights, in the 

 purchase of the interests of the Lords of Manors, 

 and in the extinction of the rights of lopping and other 

 rights held to be detrimental to the Forest, was about 

 240,000. Of this, 33,000 was spent in litigation, 

 and in the expenses incurred in Parliamentary Com- 

 mittees and before the Epping Forest Commission. 

 There was recovered as costs from the Lords of Manors 

 the sum of 4,000, which, it is understood, represented 

 but a fraction of the real outlay. The amount thus 

 paid for the purchase of the rights of the Lords of 

 Manors was an unnecessary expenditure. There was 

 no reason why those rights should not have been 

 allowed to exist, subject to proper regulations. 



The whole of the outlay was provided for out 

 of the metage of grain duty, which was specially con- 

 tinued and appropriated by Parliament for such purposes, 

 and not out of the general funds of the Corporation. 

 Out of the same fund there was paid the sum 

 of 8,000, the balance due on the purchase by the 

 Corporation of Wanstead Park, formerly the resi- 

 dence of Lord Mornington, with 184 acres of land, a 

 most valuable addition to the Forest. Some outlying 

 portions of the Forest, of little importance to it, but of 

 great value for building purposes, were given in exchange 

 for the Park. This Park had in 1545 been inclosed 



