286 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



secutively from A to R. Many of the old branding irons, with 

 letters about eight inches high, are still extant, and impres- 

 sions are given in Mr. Fisher's volume, from which those on 

 the accompanying illustration are taken. 



The machinery of the forest laws, so far as the local courts 

 were concerned, was maintained with some measure of strict- 

 ness far later in Waltham forest than elsewhere in the king- 

 dom. It was in active operation until nearly the end of the 

 eighteenth century, and was certainly effective in preventing 

 encroachments. 



In 1812 Mr. Wellesley Pole (afterwards Lord Mornington) 

 became hereditary lord warden in right of his wife. This 

 gentleman, as Mr. Buxton puts it, "saw that more profit was 

 to be made in breaking his trust than in keeping it"; he refused 

 to support the authority of the verderers, and did all in his 

 power to bring the forest laws and customs into contempt. 

 Finally, he sold the rights he was appointed to guard. 



In the middle of last century wholesale enclosures began, 

 resulting in the complete destruction of the woodlands of 

 Hainault in 1851 and its conversion into arable land. A 

 manufacturer of steam ploughs entered into a contract to clear 

 the land. Attaching anchors to the roots of the old oaks, 

 including the Fairlop Oak of ancient memory, he completed 

 the whole operation in six weeks. This ruthless action began 

 to bring about a reaction, and after a legal contest, extending 

 over fifteen years, in which the Corporation of the City of 

 London played a great part, the preservation of 5,500 acres 

 of Epping Forest was secured for the enjoyment of the public. 

 The victory was won in 1874, anc ^ tne management of the forest 

 vested in a committee, consisting of twelve members of the 

 Court of Common Council and four verderers ; the latter have 

 to be resident within the forest, and are elected by the com- 

 moners. 



For full particulars as to the history of the deer of this forest, of 

 the woods and wood's rights especially of lopping, which was 

 practised more in Essex than elsewhere of the pasture and 

 pannage customs, of the enclosures and encroachments, and of 

 the verderers, foresters, and king's woodwards, the reader 

 is referred to Mr. Fisher's comprehensive work. 



