EPPING FOREST. 131 
It was not easy to find such a Commoner. The 
principal landowners in the district who were Com- 
moners, and not Lords of Manors, were either in- 
different to the inclosure of the Forest, or had already 
been bought off by allotments from it, or were afraid 
to incur the great hostility of their class, who were 
generally ranged on the side of ‘the Lords of 
Manors. The case differed greatly from those of other 
suburban Commons, where the residents in villas 
around them were almost invariably opposed in interest 
and sympathy to inclosures, and could be relied 
upon to resist them. In Epping Forest the prize 
was great; the persons really interested against 
inclosure were few. It was not found possible there- 
fore to enlist the larger Commoners in any sufficient 
number to fight the battle with the confederated Lords 
of Manors. 
Fortunately, however, inquiry showed that among 
the owners of land within the precincts of the old 
Forest, having common rights, was the Corporation of 
London. They were possessors of an estate of 200 
acres at Little Ilford, in the Manor of Wanstead. They 
had bought this property for the purpose of a cemetery ; 
a portion of it had been devoted to this object, 
and the residue was let as a farm. Common rights 
were undoubtedly attached to this estate, in respect 
at least of that part of the Forest within the Manor in 
which it was situate. It was decided, therefore, to 
make every effort to induce the Corporation to under- 
take the great task of impeaching the inclosures of the 
J 2 
