136 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



THE FOREST OF MACCLESFIELD 



Cheshire possessed another considerable forest on the east 

 side of the county. About a third of the large hundred of 

 Macclesfield, including the town of Macclesfield and eighteen 

 other townships, was forest even at the time of the Domesday 

 Survey. It was usually known as the forest of Macclesfield ; 

 but in its earlier life, from its position on the borders of the 

 palatinate, it was often called the forest of Lyme. The heredi- 

 tary forestership or keepership of this forest, in conjunction 

 with that of Leek, was granted to Richard Davenport, of 

 Davenport, towards the end of the twelfth century, by Hugh 

 Kevelioc, Earl of Chester. It continued attached to the earl- 

 dom of Chester until its termination, when it passed to the 

 Crown. But at an early date the forest area was materially 

 lessened by a variety of Crown grants. A considerable por- 

 tion, however, was not alienated from the Crown until after 

 the Restoration. Up to the period of the Commonwealth the 

 open forest was fairly well stocked with deer. Under the chief 

 forester there were eight hereditary foresters-of-fee, bound to the 

 performance of certain duties (often exercised by deputy), and 

 possessed of considerable liberties. In the time of Edward I. 

 the foresters' liberties included the hunting of hare, fox, squirrel, 

 and cat, with rights of fishing, fowling, and nutting. In addi- 

 tion to pannage and pasturage liberties, they also claimed the 

 forearm (spandd) of deer taken in the forest, and all of any 

 deer found dead in the forest, save the four limbs, which went 

 to the manor of Macclesfield. 



Swainmotes were regularly held at Macclesfield, and forest 

 pleas, from time to time, in the same town, under the justice of 

 Chester. Ormerod (iii. 539) gives a transcript of a swainmote 

 of this forest temp. Elizabeth, and a few other particulars ; but 

 the history of this forest remains practically unwritten, and not 

 for lack of material. 



