THE FOREST OF DEAN 281 



A survey of 1638 returned that the forest contained 105,557 

 trees, containing 61,928 tons of timber, in addition to 153,209 

 cords of underwood. An entire sale was thereupon made by 

 the Crown to Sir John Wintour of all woods, mines, quarries, 

 etc., within the forest in consideration of 106,000, to be paid 

 by instalments, and a fee-farm rent of 1,950 i2s. 8d. for ever. 

 The commissioners and commoners agreed at this time to the 

 disafforesting and enclosure of 18,000 acres. 



Sir John Wintour, on entering into possession, made many 

 enclosures, and grubbed up much timber and underwood ; but 

 the outbreak of the Civil War checked his proceedings, and the 

 inhabitants threw down all the enclosures. For a time it 

 seemed as if general lawlessness would bring about the 

 destruction of all the woods, but Cromwell and the Parliament 

 took vigorous measures for their preservation in 1648. An 

 Act was passed in 1656 by which Wintour's grant was declared 

 void, and the whole forest was vested in the Protector for the 

 use of the Commonwealth. 



At the Restoration, however, Wintour again entered into 

 possession, and began to re-enclose. The inhabitants offered 

 strenuous resistance, and the matter was referred to a com- 

 mission to survey and report. It was found that there were 

 25,929 oaks and 4,204 beeches, " as good timber as any in the 

 world." A new treaty was entered into with Wintour in 1661, 

 by which he surrendered his former patent, and agreed to 

 preserve 11,335 tons f shipping timber. It was, however, 

 reported to the House in 1663 that Wintour had 500 cutters at 

 work, and that the woods would all speedily disappear unless 

 there was further interference. The work of destruction went 

 merrily on until 1668, when it was decided by Act of Parliament 

 that 11,000 acres might be enclosed by the Crown; that all 

 the wood and timber on the remaining 13,000 acres was to be 

 vested absolutely in the Crown and reafforested ; that the deer 

 *on that waste were never to exceed 800 ; and that the winter 

 heyning and fence month, when no kind of cattle were to be 

 agisted, was to extend from St. Martin's Day to St. George's 

 Day in April, and for fifteen days before and fifteen days after 

 Midsummer. 



Into the question of the pulling down of the king's iron 

 works in the forest, in 1674, and the establishment and con- 



