MORFE FOEEST. 29 



the 26tli Henry TV., the stewardships of the forest 

 of Morfe and Shirlot were granted to John Hampton, 

 Esq., and his heirs. Again, we find 9 Henry YII., 

 rot. 28, George Earl of Shrewsbury, was steward 

 and ranger for life, with a fee of 4c/. per day. 

 Orig. 6 Edward YL, William Gatacre de Gatacrc, 

 in com. Salop, had a lease of twenty-one years of 

 the stewardship ; and in the 20th Elizabeth, George 

 Bromley had a lease of twenty- one years of the 

 stewardship, at a rent of 6s. 8d., et de incremento, 

 12d. ; and 36 Elizabeth, George Powle, Gent., was 

 steward, with a fee of 4d per day. 



One of the descendants of George Earl of Shrews- 

 bury sold at no very distant period the old Lodge 

 and some land to the Stokes family of Koughton, 

 and the property is still in their possession. The 

 remains of the old Lodge were then more extensive, 

 but they were afterwards pulled down, with the 

 exception of that portion which still goes by the 

 name. As we have said, these places have about 

 them interesting forest associations, reminding us 

 that early sportsmen here met to enjoy the plea- 

 sures of the chase, with a success sometimes told by 

 red-deer bones and wild-boar tusks, dug from some 

 old ditch or trench. Where the plough-share now 



