170 THE FORESTS OF ENGLAND. 



and the order was obeyed. Many were set on fire, others 

 cut down ; and forests thus felled, by impeding the drain- 

 ing of water, often turned such broad streams as flowed 

 through them into extensive swamps.* 



In peat bogs wood has been found at Toul, in Yorkshire, 

 so well preserved that it was deemed fit for employment 

 in building. Wood has also been found so preserved in 

 Somersetshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, at 

 Bromleyinan, Birmingham, and in Scotland, and in the 

 Isle of Man. 



About a mile to the north or north-west of Beverley, 

 the road to Hornsea crosses one of the great broad and deep 

 drains of Holderness, which falls into the sea at Barmstowe. 

 It crosses low-lying hollow land, which was formerly an 

 insalubrious swamp, like that which when drained was 

 made Hatfield Ghase, and this, like that, was found to be 

 the covering of an ancient forest. Of the age of the re- 

 mains of this forest, found in digging the drains, I have no 

 indication, but of the former condition of this swamp it 

 may be interesting to know, that so deep was the water that 

 boats went from Beverley to Frothingbam, and some found 

 more profit in navigating to and fro with smuggled mer- 

 chandise, concealed under loads of hay and barley, than in 

 cultivating their -farms. For years a large swannery 

 existed among the islands, and the king's swanner used 

 to come down and hold his periodical court. 



The number of submerged trees were enormous ; pines 

 sixty feet in length, intermingled with yew, alder, and other 

 kinds, some standing as they grew, but the most leaning in 

 all directions, or lying flat. Six hundred trees were taken 

 from one field, and the labourers made good wages in 

 digging them out at two pence apiece. Some of the wood 

 was so sound that a speculator cut it up into walking- 

 sticks. 



Generally the upper layer consists of about two feet of 

 peat, and beneath this the trees were found closely packed 



