20 STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



mentioned would seem to show that it formerly ex- 

 tended into Devon. On the other hand, the boundary 

 of the Forest to the south and west exactly coincides 

 with the division of the counties ; and as the Forest is 

 probably of earlier date than the county divisions, it 

 seems likely that the Forest boundary was adopted as 

 the county boundary. 



The Forest included, in 1298, a considerable portion 

 of the parish of Oare, which now lies without it. When 

 this portion was disafforested is uncertain. It is known 

 that the adjoining- manor of Kytemore or Culbone 

 was disafforested in this year, and freed from the 

 oppression of the Forest laws : but not so Oare, or 

 that manor would not have been included in the per- 

 ambulation. With the exception of this one portion 

 taken to create the parish of Oare, the Forest from the 

 time of Edward I. remained intact for five hundred 

 years — a wild and dreary expanse of rough grass, with- 

 out a fence or enclosure from end to end. 



At last, in 18 15, an Act was passed (55 Geo. III. 

 c. 138) for vesting in his Majesty certain parts of the 

 Forest, and for enclosing it. Herein it was recited that 

 the total extent of the Forest was 22,400 acres; a 

 figure proved by a subsequent survey to be wrong, 

 but almost tallying with that given by the survey of 



