. . ( 33 .0 j^ 



ning near the village of Wansford, on the great 

 north road from London to Edinburgh, extending 

 for near 20 miles towards the centre of the county, 

 and forming almoft a continued chain of woodland 

 country : There are two other extenfive forefts, viz. 

 Whittlebury and Salcey, lying towards the fouth 

 border of the county ; the chaces are thofe of Ged- 

 dington and Yardly ; the former in the neighbour- 

 hood of Rockingham foreft, and the later in the vi- 

 cinity of Salcey foreft. 



The purlieu woods, are both extenfive and nume- 

 rous, particularly towards the lower parts of the 

 county, and upon the borders of the foreft of Rock- 

 ingham ; and befides thefe, there are feveral fmall 

 tracks of woodlands, very advantageoufly and orna- 

 mentally fituated, in many other parts of the county. 



The whole of what are now coniidered to be fo- 

 reft woods, are fubjeft to the depaflurage «f the 

 deer, and at a ftated time of the year, to the depaf- 

 turage alfo of the cattle belonging to thofe who refide 

 in the adjoining townfliips, and who claim to be pof- 

 fefied of a right of commonage ; on thefe accounts, 

 the profit arifing to the proprietors of thefe woods, 

 ifrom the cutting of the timber, and underwood, is 

 •fmall, compared with that arifing from regular well 

 managed purlieu woods, which are not fubjedi to 

 the annoyance of the deer and cattle. 



The underwood in the forells and chaces, princi- 

 pally confifls of black and white thorn, afii, fallow, 

 maple, and a fmall proportion of hazle. They are 

 generally cut at from 12 to 1 3 years growth; the 

 diS'erent woods are divided into as many parts or 

 iales, as the number of years growth at which the 

 underwood that is cut may amount to, fo that a re- 

 gular rotation in cutting takes place every year. 



Jl'hc proprietors of the midervvood in the foreft 

 woods, me empowered by the ancient laws -and cu- 

 lloQis of the foreft, to fence in each part orfale, a« 



1 fooii 



