BURNHAM BEECHES. 265 



The Common consists of 374 acres, of which about 

 half is planted with these splendid beeches, and forms 

 part of the Manor of Burnham. 



This Manor was at the time of Domesday in posses- 

 sion of the Bishop of Lincoln ; later it was escheated 

 to the Crown. Henry ITI. granted it to the Abbess of 

 the neighbouring Convent of Burnham. On the disso- 

 lution of the Abbey, the Manor was granted away by 

 Henry VIII., and for generations remained in the pos- 

 session of the Eyre family. The last representative of 

 this ancient family was Captain Popple, who, in 1812, 

 sold the reversion, after his death, of his property, 

 including large demesne lands and the Manor, for a 

 considerable sum, to Lord Grenville, the well-known 

 statesman, the owner of the domain of Dropmore, 

 within the same Manor. Dropmore itself is said to 

 have been inclosed by Lord Grenville from a Common. 

 Its park and pleasure grounds, consisting of 600 acres, are 

 celebrated for their collection of trees. This and other 

 purchases within the Manor, made Lord Grenville the 

 owner of nearly the whole of it. 



The acquisitions were in pursuance of the policy of the 

 Grenville family to consolidate their political influence 

 in the county. Captain Popple, contrary to all actuarial 

 expectation, lived on till 1830, and Lord Grenville then 

 at last came into possession of the Manor, to enjoy it 

 only for a few months, to appreciate that he had made 

 a very bad bargain, and to be conscious that the Reform 

 Act, then imminent, would sweep away the political 

 influence which he had so carefully built up. His 



