256 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



of Westhay, and the Earl of Westmoreland of Moorhay, 

 Sulehay, and Shortwood ; whilst Geddington woods, which 

 had been disafforested in 1676, had been granted to Lord 

 Montague and his heirs for ever. 



The actual woodlands then included in the forest were 

 9,482 acres ; namely, Rockingham 3,500, Brigstock 1,400, and 

 Cliff 4,582 ; but most of them were private, though subject 

 to certain forest rights and burdens. The number of deer must 

 have been very considerable, for upwards of 100 bucks and 

 a larger number of does were annually killed. 



The two swainmote courts that used to be held, the one for 

 Rockingham and Brigstock, and the other for Cliff, had long 

 since come to an end, together with the whole array of minor 

 forest ministers, and the forest had remained chiefly under the 

 care of the hereditary keepers or master foresters. In 1702 

 it was found that the Crown could claim the oak timber in 

 Sulehay woods, and over 2,000 trees were sold between 1704 

 and 1736, yielding a net revenue of 3,623. 



The commissioners came to the conclusion that : 



"A forest in a situation so distant from any residence of the royal 

 family, with an establishment of officers, either granted in perpetuity 

 or esteemed of little value by those who possess them, and in which 

 so little of the right to timber has been preserved, can neither con- 

 tribute much to the amusement of the king, the dignity or profit 

 of the crown, or the advantage of the public." 



They therefore recommended disafforestation, and the sale 

 to the owners of the wood of any rights to the timber that the 

 Crown might possess. The commissioners' recommendations 

 were carried into law by Acts of 1795 and 1/96. 



Lack of space compels the entire omission of the accounts 

 which had been prepared of Salcey and Whittlewood forests 

 in this county. 



