Holt, made in 1635, and in the eleventh year of 

 Charles the First (which now lies before me), it 

 appears that the limits of the former are much cir- 

 cumscribed. For, to say nothing of the farther side, 

 with which I am not so well acquainted, the bounds 

 on this side, in old times, came into Binswood ; and 

 extended to the ditch of Wardleham Park, in which 

 stands the curious mount called King John's Hill, 

 and Lodge Hill ; and to the verge of Hartley Mau- 

 duit, called Mauduit Hatch; comprehending also 

 Shortheath, Oakhanger, and Oakwoods ; a large dis- 

 trict, now private property, though once belonging 

 to the royal domain. 



It is remarkable that the term purlieu is never 

 once mentioned in this long roll of parchment. It 

 contains, besides the perambulation, a rough estimate 

 of the value of the timbers, which were consider- 

 able, growing at that time in the district of the Holt; 

 and enumerates the officers, superior and inferior, 

 of those joint forests, for the time being, and their 

 ostensible fees and perquisites. In those days, as at 

 present, there were hardly any trees in Wolmer 

 Forest. 



Within the present limits of the forest are three 



considerable lakes, Hogmer, Cranmer, and Wolmer ; 



all of which are stocked with carp, tench, eels, and 



perch ; but the fish do not thrive well, because the 



water is hungry, and the bottoms are a naked sand. 



A circumstance respecting these ponds, though 



26 



