8 THE OAK. 



sprung from the stool of an oak, its previous 

 occupant of the land, as I was informed by 

 Mr. Joel Howard, of Marple, formerly a tim- 

 ber valuer and timber merchant of extensive 

 trade and respectability, who valued the lot of 

 which the tree in question was a part, together 

 with the rest of the lots, before they were 

 submitted to public competition " by Ticket." 

 And one of the finest oaks I ever saw in ei- 

 ther county, grew on the Brabins Hall estate, 

 which the owner most reluctantly removed, 

 as it was in the way of his proposed enlarge- 

 ment of the hall, and its being indispensable 

 for an extension of the suite of drawing- 

 rooms. 



The course of the Etherow from Woodhead 

 to Compstall on both its sides was enriched 

 in appearance by the roughs, steeps, and din- 

 gles, filled with oak and white wood of great 

 size of different kinds of timber ; and the Ar- 

 nicroft wood was a splendid sight to behold. 

 When I was in my boyhood, and at the com- 



