262 THE ANTIQUITIES 



What probably first drew the attention of the Saxons to 

 this spot was the beautiful spring or fountain called Well- 

 head, 1 which induced them to build by the banks of that 

 perennial current ; for ancient settlers loved to reside by 

 brooks and rivulets, where they could dip for their water 

 without the trouble and expense of digging wells and of 

 drawing. 



It remains still unsettled among the antiquaries at what 

 time tracts of land were first appropriated to the chase 

 alone for the amusement of the sovereign. Whether our 

 Saxon monarchs had any royal forests does not, I believe, 

 appear on record ; but the Constitutiones de Foresta of 

 Canute, the Dane, are come down to us. We shall not 

 therefore pretend to say whether Wolmer-forest existed as 

 a royal domain before the conquest. If it did not, we 

 may suppose it was laid out by some of our earliest 

 Norman kings, who were exceedingly attached to the 

 pleasures of the chase, and resided much at Winchester, 

 which lies at a moderate distance from this district. The 

 Plantagenet princes seem to have been pleased with 

 Wolmer ; for tradition says that king John resided just 

 upon the verge, at Ward le ham, on a regular and remark- 

 able mount, still called King John's Hill, and Lodge Hill ; 

 and Edward III. had a chapel in his park, or enclosure, at 

 Kingsley. 2 Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, and Richard, 

 duke of York, say my evidences, were both, in their turns, 

 wardens of Wolmer-forest ; which seems to have served 

 for an appointment for the younger princes of the royal 

 family, as it may again. 



I have intentionally mentioned Edward III. and the 

 dukes Humphrey and Richard, before king Edward II. 

 because I have reserved, for the entertainment of my 

 readers, a pleasant anecdote respecting that prince, with 

 which I shall close this letter. 



1 Well-head signifies spring-head, and not a deep pit from whence 

 we draw water. For particulars about which see Letter I. to 

 Mr. Pennant. 



2 The parish of Kingsley lies between, and divides Wolmer-forest 

 from Ayles Holt-forest. See Letter IX. to Mr. Pennant. 



