.. 

 THE FOREST OF THE HIGH PEAK 151 



parochial. According to somewhat later parochial divisions, 

 the forest comprised the whole of the parishes of Glossop, 

 Chapel-en-le-Frith, Castleton, and Hope, with most of Tides- 

 well, considerable portions of Bakewell, and part of Hather- 

 sage. 



It formed altogether an area of 40! square miles. 



From the time when Longendale was added to the honor of 

 Peverel, in the days of Henry L, the Peak Forest was divided 

 into three districts, each having its own set of foresters, but all 

 under one chief official. These three districts were known as 

 Campana (i.e. the Champagne, or open country) on the south 

 and south-west, Longdendale on the north and north-west, 

 and Hopedale on the east. 



The bounds of the forest, as set forth in the Forest Pleas held 

 in 1286, were as follows, given in an English dress : 



"The metes and bounds of the forest of the Peak begin on the 

 south at the New Place of Goyt, and thence by the river Goyt as far 

 as the river Etherow ; and so by the river Etherow to Langley Croft 

 at Longdenhead ; thence by a certain footpath to the head of Der- 

 went ; and from the head of Derwent to a place called Mythomstede 

 (Mytham Bridge) ; and from Mytham Bridge to the river Bradwell ; 

 and from the river Bradwell as far as a certain place called Hucklow ; 

 and from Hucklow to the great dell (cavam, cave?) of Hazelbache ; 

 and from that dell as far as Little Hucklow ; and from Hucklow 

 to the brook of Tideswell, and so to the river Wye ; and from the 

 Wye ascending up to Buxton, and so on to the New Place of Goyt." 



In the case of a considerable number of forests there was 

 much variation in their bounds subsequent to 1300 ; but the 

 limits of Peak Forest remained to its close the same as they 

 were in the thirteenth century. 



The place where the forest justice held his inquisitions was 

 usually termed the Justice Seat. This Justice Seat was occa- 

 sionally held in different localities, or even in a temporary 

 booth or tent, as in the great Northamptonshire forest of 

 Rockingham ; but the Justice Seat for the Peak Forest was 

 about the centre of the district, in an extra parochial part, about 

 equal distance from Castleton, Tideswell, and Bowden. Here 

 stood a chief forestry residence and hall termed Camera in 

 foresta regia Pecci, or Camera in Campana, with a chapel 

 attached. This chapel was of earlier date than the large chapel 



