THE KING'S HOUSE 123 



upon the question of right, a verdict of man- 

 slaughter was recorded. From that day the 

 Dukes maintained their right to appoint under 

 keepers of the two walks, but those keepers 

 never attended the swainmote or attachment Forest 

 courts, and the bailiwick became practically out- 

 side the Forest law. And it is perhaps from 

 that cause that Burley, in its old form, before it 

 became a city of villas, was ever intolerant of 

 anything like Forest law and custom, and always 

 prone to contention. 



The old Burley Great lodge was first after 

 1809 used, in a reduced form, for the residence 

 of the groom-keeper, eventually appointed assist- 

 ant to the Deputy Surveyor. Then the park 

 and open land around it was, in the utilitarian 

 days of 1851, ploughed, and an attempt was made 

 at high farming. A new residence was built, and 

 nothing remains of the old great lodge except 

 the front of an old coach-house, and an enormous 

 stone-lined well, which, however, is soon exhausted 

 by modern requirements. 



But the remains some half dozen in number 

 of the " Twelve Apostles," the famous group of 

 old oaks, said to be noted in Domesday Book, 

 still ornament the otherwise uninteresting park, 

 and are worth a visit from any lover of ancient 

 trees. 



