Royal forest: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

All Topics

Royal forest

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

	Royal forest
	Home Discussion
	Topics Royal forest Topic Home A royal forest is an area of land where certain rights are reserved for a monarchMonarch A monarch is a type of ruler or head of state.... or the aristocracyAristocracy The Ancient Greek term aristocracy meant a system of government with "rule by the best".... , usually set aside for huntingHunting Hunting is the practice of pursuing animals to capture or kill them for food, recreation, or trade in their products.... (see medieval huntingMedieval hunting Throughout western Europe in the Middle Ages, men hunted wild animals.... ). The concept was introduced by the NormansNormans The Normans were a people who colonized Normandy, conquered England, and played a major political, military and cultural ro... to England in the 11th century, and at its peak in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, fully one third of the area of England was designated royal forest. Forest law prescribed harsh punishment for anyone who committed a range of offences within the forests; by the mid-17th century, enforcement of this law had died out, but many of England's woodlands still bear the title Royal Forest. The concept of royal forests as a mode of land management in EnglandEngland Summary England is the largest and most populous constituent country of the United Kingdom.... appears to have been introduced from continental EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... in the late eleventh centuryFacts About 11th century As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100.... . At that time, the practice of reserving areas of land for the sole use of the aristocracy was common throughout EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... during the medievalFacts About Middle Ages The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three "ages": the clas... period. The term forest does not mean forestForest A forest is an area with a high density of trees .... as it is understood today, i.e. an area of densely wooded land. Royal forests usually included large areas of heathHeath (habitat) Heaths are habitats characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, found on mainly infertile acidic soils.... , grasslandGrassland A grassland is a generally open and continuous, fairly flat area of grass.... and wetlandWetland In physical geography, a wetland is an environment "at the interface between truly terrestrial ecosystems...and truly aquati... — anywhere that supported deerDeer A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae.... and other gameGame (food) Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated.... . In addition, when an area was initially designated forest, any villages, towns and fields that lay within it were also subject to forest law. This could foster resentment as the local inhabitants were then unable to use land they had previously relied upon for their livelihoods. Forest law William the Conqueror, a great lover of hunting, established the system of forest law. This operated outside of the common lawCommon law The common law forms a major part of the law of many countries, especially those with a history as British territories or co... , and served to protect game animals and their forest habitat from destruction. In the year of his death, 1087, a poem, "The Rime of King WilliamThe Rime of King William *The Rime of King William* is an Old English poem that tells the death of William the Conqueror.... ", inserted in the Peterborough ChroniclePeterborough Chronicle The *Peterborough Chronicle, one of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, contains unique information about the history of Engl... expresses English indignation at the forest laws. Offences Offences in forest law were divided into two categories: trespass against the vert (the vegetation of the forest) and the venison (the game). The five animals of the forest protected by law were given by ManwoodJohn Manwood John Manwood* was a barrister of Lincoln's Inn, gamekeeper of Waltham Forest, and Justice in Eyre of the New Forest under Eli... as the hartDeer A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae.... and hindHind Hind may refer to:Republic of India, or parts of India, in ancient times.... , boarBoar The Wild Boar* is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig.... , and hareHare Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus *Lepus.... and wolf. (In England, the boar had become extinct in the wild by the 13th century, and the wolf by the late 15th century). Protection was also said to be extended to the beasts of chaseChase (land) In the United Kingdom, a chase* is a type of common land used for hunting to which there are no specifically designated offic... , the buckBuck Buck may refer to any of the following:... and doeDoe Doe is the name designating the females of certain animals, such as rabbits, squirrels and some species of deer.... , foxFox Summary A fox is a member of any of 27 species of small omnivorous canids.... , martenMarten The Martens constitute the genus *Martes* within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.... , and roe deerRoe Deer The European Roe Deer is a deer species of Europe and Asia Minor.... , and the beasts and fowls of warrenWarren (free) Free warren—often simply warren—refers to a type of franchise or privilege conveyed by a sovereign in mediae... , the hareHare Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus *Lepus.... , coneyConey Coney* may be:* an English word for a rabbit, or rabbit's hair.... , pheasantPheasant Summary Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes.... , and partridgePartridge Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae.... . The rights of chase and of warren (i.e., to hunt such beasts) were often granted to local nobility for a fee. (Manwood's catalog is somewhat inventive; forest law was primarily concerned with the various sorts of deerDeer A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae.... , and the boar and wolf.) Trespasses against the vert were rather extensive: they included purpresture, the inclosure of a pasture or erection of a building on forest lands, assartingAssarting Summary Assarting is the act of clearing forested lands for use in agriculture or other purposes.... , clearing forest land for agriculture, and felling trees or clearing shrubs, among others. Note that these laws applied to any land within the boundary of the forest, even if it were freely owned; although the Charter of the Forest in 1217 established that all freemen owning land within the forest enjoyed the rights of agistment and pannage (see below). In addition, inhabitants of the forest were forbidden to bear hunting weapons, and dogDog The dog is a mammal in the order Carnivora.... s were banned from the forest; mastiffMastiff Summary Mastiff may refer to:... s were permitted as watchdogs, but they had to have their front claws removed to prevent them from hunting game. Disafforested lands on the edge of the forest were known as the purlieuPurlieu Summary Purlieu is a term used of the outlying parts of a place or district.... ; agriculture was permitted here, but game was still reserved for the King. Rights and privileges The kings rapidly discovered that abridging their rights in the Royal forests could provide a useful source of income. Local nobles and clerics were often granted the aforementioned rights of chase and warren, or given royal license to take a certain amount of game. The common inhabitants of the forest might, depending on their location, possess a variety of rights: estover, the right of taking firewood, pannagePannage Pannage is an English legal term for the practice of turning out domestic pigs in a wood or forest, in order that they may f... , the right to pasture swine in the forest, turbaryTurbary Overview #A Turbary is a piece of peatland from which turf may be cut for fuel.... , the right to cut turf (as fuel), and various other rights of pasturage (agistmentAgistment To agist is, in English law, to take cattle to graze, for a remuneration.... ) and harvesting the products of the forest. Land might be disafforested entirely, or permission given for assart and purpresture. Officers The justices of the forest were the Justice in EyreJustice in Eyre The Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennia... and the verdererFacts About Verderer OriginsVerderers were originally part of the ancient judicial and administrative hierarchy of the vast areas of English for... s. The chief royal official was the WardenWarden The English word warden has developed a range of meanings, and may refer to any of the terms listed below.... . As he was often an eminent and preoccupied magnate, his powers were frequently exercised by a deputy. He supervised the foresterForester A forester is a person who practices forestry the science and profession of managing forests.... s and under-foresters, who personally went about preserving the forest and game and apprehending offenders against the law. The agisters supervised pannage and agistment and collected any fees thereto appertaining. The nomenclature of the officers can be somewhat confusing: the rank immediately below the constable were referred to as foresters-in-fee, or, later, woodwards, who held land in the forest in exchange for a rent, and advised the warden. They exercised various privileges within their bailiwicks. Their subordinates were the under-foresters, later referred to as rangers. The rangers are sometimes said to be patrollers of the purlieuPurlieu Purlieu is a term used of the outlying parts of a place or district.... . Another group, called serjeantSerjeant Serjeant may be:The holder of a serjeanty, a type of feudal land-holding in England... s-in-fee, and later, foresters-in-fee (not to be confused with the above), held small estates in return for their service in patrolling the forest and apprehending offenders. The forests also had surveyors, who determined the boundaries of the forest, and regarders. These last reported to the court of justice-seat and investigated enroachments on the forest and invasion of royal rights, such as assarting. While their visits were infrequent, due to the interval of time between courts, they provided a check against collusion between the foresters and local offenders. Courts BlackstoneCommentaries on the Laws of England The Commentaries on the Laws of England* are an influential 18th century treatise on the common law of England by Sir Wi... gives the following outline of the forest courts, as theoretically constructed: Court of attachment, sometimes called the Forty-Day Court or Woodmote. This court was held every forty days, and was presided over by verderers and the Warden, or his deputy. The foresters attachedAttachment The term attachment has multiple meanings:... persons who had committed crimes against the forest law and brought them before this court to have them enrolled; however, it did not possess the power to try or convict individuals, and such cases had to be passed upwards to the swainmote or the court of justice seat. Court of regard, held every third year to enforce the law requiring declawing of dogs within the forest. Swainmote or Sweinmote was held three times a year: the fortnight before the feast of St. Michael, about the feast of St. Martin, and the fortnight before the feast of St. John the Baptist. It was presided over by the Warden and verderers, the foresters and agisters being in attendance. The first two occasions were to regulate agistment and pannage, respectively; the third was for the purpose of trying offenders before a jury of swainFacts About Swain Swain is a traditional English surname derived ultimately from the Old German personal name Sven, meaning a youth, young man... s, or freemen of the forest. (The name of the court is sometimes said to be derived from swine, probably a misapprehension through its regulation of pannage.) Court of justice-seat or eyre was the highest of the forest courts. It was to be held every three years, to be announced forty days in advance, and was presided over by a Justice in EyreJustice in Eyre The Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennia... . It was, in theory, the only court that could pass sentence upon offenders of the forest laws. In practice, these fine distinctions were not always observed. In the Forest of DeanForest of Dean The Forest of Dean is a region in the county of Gloucestershire, England.... , swainmote and the court of attachment seem to have been one and the same throughout most of its history. As the courts of justice-seat were held less frequently, the lower courts assumed the power to fine offenders against the forest laws, according to a fixed schedule. The courts of justice-seat crept into disuse, and in 1817, the office of Justice in Eyre was abolished and its powers transferred to the First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsFacts About First Commissioner of Woods and Forests The Commission of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues was established in the United Kingdom in 1810 by merging the former offi... . Courts of swainmote and attachment went out of existence at various dates in the different forests. A Court of Swainmote was re-established in the New ForestNew Forest The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathl... in 1877. History William IWilliam I of England William of Normandy ruled as the Duke of Normandy from 1035 to 1087 and as King of England from 1066 to 1087.... , original enactor of the Forest Law in England, harshly penalized offenders. He "laid a law upon it, that whoever slew hart or hind should be blinded," according to the Anglo-Saxon ChronicleFacts About Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The *Anglo-Saxon Chronicle* is a collection of annals narrating the history of the Anglo-Saxons and their settlement in Br... . William Rufus, also a keen hunter, increased the severity of the penalties for various offenses to include death and mutilation. The laws were in part codified under the (1184) of Henry IIHenry II of England Henry II of England ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England and, at various times, controlled pa... ; he also afforested large tracts. Magna CartaMagna Carta Magna Carta , also called Magna Carta Libertatum , is an English charter originally issued in 1215.... , the charterCharter A charter is a document bestowing certain rights on a town, city, university, land or institution; sometimes used as a loan ... forced upon King John of EnglandJohn of England John reigned as King of England from April 6, 1199, until his death.... by the English barons in 1215, contained five clauses relating to royal forests. They aimed to limit, and even reduce, the King's sole rights as enshrined in forest law. The clauses were as follows (taken from the ): (44) People who live outside the forest need not in future appear before the royal justices of the forest in answer to general summonses, unless they are actually involved in proceedings or are sureties for someone who has been seized for a forest offence. (47) All forests that have been created in our reign shall at once be disafforested. River-banks that have been enclosed in our reign shall be treated similarly. (48) All evil customs relating to forests and warrens, foresters, warreners, sheriffs and their servants, or river-banks and their wardens, are at once to be investigated in every county by twelve sworn knights of the county, and within forty days of their enquiry the evil customs are to be abolished completely and irrevocably. But we, or our chief justice if we are not in England, are first to be informed. (52) To any man whom we have deprived or dispossessed of lands, castles, liberties, or rights, without the lawful judgement of his equals, we will at once restore these. In cases of dispute the matter shall be resolved by the judgement of the twenty-five barons referred to below in the clause for securing the peace (§ 61). In cases, however, where a man was deprived or dispossessed of something without the lawful judgement of his equals by our father King Henry or our brother King Richard, and it remains in our hands or is held by others under our warranty, we shall have respite for the period commonly allowed to Crusaders, unless a lawsuit had been begun, or an enquiry had been made at our order, before we took the Cross as a Crusader. On our return from the Crusade, or if we abandon it, we will at once render justice in full. (53) We shall have similar respite [to that in clause 52] in rendering justice in connexion with forests that are to be disafforested, or to remain forests, when these were first afforested by our father Henry or our brother Richard; with the guardianship of lands in another person's `fee', when we have hitherto had this by virtue of a `fee' held of us for knight's service by a third party; and with abbeys founded in another person's `fee', in which the lord of the `fee' claims to own a right. On our return from the Crusade, or if we abandon it, we will at once do full justice to complaints about these matters. After the death of John, Henry IIIHenry III of England Henry III was crowned King of England in 1216, despite being less than ten years of age.... was compelled to grant the (1217), which further reformed the forest law and established the rights of agistment and pannage on private land within the forests. It also checked certain of the extortions of the foresters. An "Ordinance of the Forest" under Edward IEdward I of England Summary Edward I , popularly known as "Longshanks" because of his 6 foot 2 inch frame and the "Hammer of the Scots" , a... again checked the oppression of the officers, and introduced sworn juries in the forest courts. The Great Perambulation and after In 1300 many (if not all) forests were perambulated and reduced greatly in their extent, in theory to their extent in the time of Henry IIHenry II of England Henry II of England ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England and, at various times, controlled pa... . However, this depended on the determination of local juries, whose decisions often excluded from the Forest lands described in Domesday BookDomesday Book *Domesday Book* , was the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William the Conqueror.... as within the forest. Successive kings tried to recover the "purlieus" excluded from a forest by the Great Perambulation of 1300. Forest officers periodically fined the inhabitants of the purlieus for failing to attend Forest Court or for forest offences. This led to complaints in Parliament. The king promised to remedy the grievances, but usually did nothing. Several forests were alienated by Richard IIRichard II of England Richard II was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan "The Fair Maid of Kent".... and his successors, but generally the system decayed. Henry VIIHenry VII of England Summary Henry VII , King of England, Lord of Ireland , was the founder and first patriarch of the Tudor dynasty. ... revived "Swanimotes" (forest courts) for several forests and held Forest Eyres in some of them. Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England Henry VIII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 22 April 1509 until his death.... in 1547 placed the forests under the Court of AugmentationsCourt of Augmentations The Court of Augmentations was established during the reign of King Henry VIII of England along with three lesser courts fo... with two Masters and two Surveyors-General. On the abolition of that court, the two surveyors-general became responsible to the Exchequer. Their respective divisions were North and South of the river TrentRiver Trent The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England.... . By the Tudor periodTudor period The Tudor period usually refers to the historical period between 1485 and 1558, especially in relation to the history of Eng... and after, forest law had largely become anachronistic, and served primarily to protect timber in the royal forests. James IJames I of England James VI of Scotland/James I of England and Ireland was King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland and was the firs... caused enquiries to be made into assart lands of various forests. The commissioners appointed raised over £25000 by compounding with occupiers, whose ownership was confirmed, subject to a fixed rent. Under Charles ICharles I of England Charles I was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649.... , several forests were disforested, the king receiving a portion of the waste land of the forest, which he then sold. The last serious exercise of forest law by a court of justice-seat (Forest Eyre) seems to have been in about 1635, as an attempt by to raise money. After the RestorationEnglish Restoration The English Restoration or simply Restoration was an episode in the history of England beginning in 1660 when the Engl... A Forest Eyre was held for the New ForestNew Forest The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathl... in 1670, and a few for other forests in the 1660s and 1670s, but these were the last. From 1715, both surveyor's posts were held by the same person. The remaining royal forests continued to be managed (in theory, at least) on behalf of the crown. However, the commoners' rights of grazing often seem to have been more important than the rights of the crown. In the late 1780s, a Royal CommissionRoyal Commission In states that are Commonwealth Realms a Royal Commission is a major government public inquiry into an issue.... was appointed to inquire into the condition of Crown woods. North of the Trent only Sherwood Forest survived. South of it there were the New ForestNew Forest The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathl... and three others in HampshireHampshire Hampshire, sometimes historically Southamptonshire, is a county on the south coast of England in the United Kingdom.... , Windsor Forest in BerkshireBerkshire Berkshire is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region.... , the Forest of DeanForest of Dean The Forest of Dean is a region in the county of Gloucestershire, England.... in GloucestershireGloucestershire Gloucestershire is a county in South West England.... , Waltham or Epping ForestFacts About Epping Forest Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London ... in Essex, three forests in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in central England with a population of 629,676 .... , and WychwoodWychwood Overview The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire.... in OxfordshireOxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in south-east England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Glouce... . Several of these no longer had swainmote courts, so that there was no official supervision. They divided the remaining forests into two classes, according to whether the Crown was or was not the major landowner. In certain Hampshire forests and the Forest of Dean, most of the soil belonged to the crown and these should be reserved to grow timber, to meet the need for oakOak The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Que... for shipbuildingShipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships.... . The others would be inclosed, the Crown receiving an allotment in lieu of its rights. In 1810, responsibility for woods was moved from Surveyors-General (who accounted to the Auditors of Land Revenue) to a new Commission of Woods, Forests, and Land RevenuesFirst Commissioner of Woods and Forests The Commission of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues was established in the United Kingdom in 1810 by merging the former offi... . From 1832 to 1851 "Works and Buildings" were added to their responsibilities. In 1851, the commissioners again became a Commissioner of Woods, Forests and Land RevenuesCommissioner of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues The Commissioners of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues were officials under the United Kingdom Crown, charged with the manage... . In 1924, the Royal Forests were transferred to the new Forestry CommissionForestry Commission The Forestry Commission is a non ministerial Government Department responsible for forestry in Great Britain.... . Surviving Ancient Forests Forest of Dean The Forest of Dean was used as a source of charcoalFacts About Charcoal Charcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from... for ironmakingBlast furnace A blast furnace is a type of furnace for smelting iron ore.... within the Forest from 1612 until about 1670. It was the subject of a Reafforestation Act in 1667. Courts continued to be held at the Speech HouseSpeech House The Speech House is the administrative building of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, lying at the centre of th... , for example to regulate the activities of the FreeminerFreeminer A Freeminer is the ancient title given to a miner in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK who has earned the right to min... s. The sale of cordwood for charcoal continued until at least the late 18th century. Deer were removed in 1850. The forest is today heavily wooded, as is a substantial area west (formerly privately owned), now treated as part of the forest. It is managed by the Forestry Commission. Epping Forest The extent of Epping Forest was greatly reduced by inclosure by landowners. The Corporation of LondonCorporation of London The Corporation of the City of London is the municipal governing body of the City of London.... wished to see it preserved as an Open SpaceOpen space Open space can refer to:A concept in urban planning:... and otained an injunctionInjunction An injunction* is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that either prohibits or compels a party from continuing ... to throw open some had been inclosed in the preceding 20 years. In 1875 and 1876, it bought of open waste land. Under the Epping Forest Act 1878, the forest was disafforested and forest law abolished in respect of it. Instead the corporation as appointed as Conservators of the Forest. The forest is managed through the Epping Forest Committee. New Forest An Act was passed to remove the deer in 1851, but abandoned when it was realised that the deer were needed to keep open the unwooded "lawns" of the forest. An attempt was made to develop the forest for growing wood by a rolling programme of inclosures. In 1875, a Select CommitteeSelect Committee A Select Committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas... of the House of Commons recommended against this, leading to the passage of the New Forest Act 1877, which limited the Crown's right to inclose, regulated common rights, and reconstituted the Court of Verderers. A further Act was passed in 1964. This forest is also managed by the Forestry Commission. Royal forests in England Alice Holt and Woolmer, HampshireHampshire Hampshire, sometimes historically Southamptonshire, is a county on the south coast of England in the United Kingdom.... Allerdale ForestAllerdale !colspan=2 align=center bgcolor="#ff9999"\|Borough of Allerdale... , CumberlandFacts About Cumberland Cumberland is one of the 39 historic counties of England, and a former administrative and ceremonial county, located in nort... AmoundernessAmounderness Amounderness is an area of England.... , LancashireLancashire Lancashire is a county in North West England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea.... (including BleasdaleBleasdale Bleasdale is a village and civil parish in the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland.... , FulwoodFulwood Fulwood ward—which includes the districts of Fulwood, Lodge Moor, and Ranmoor—is one of the 28... and MyerscoughMyerscough Myerscough is an English surname, which is most common in Lancashire.... ) Ashdown Forest, East Sussex Forest of BereForest of Bere Summary The Forest of Bere is a wooded area in Hampshire, England, between Portsdown Hill and the South Downs.... including Bere Ashley and Bere Porchester, Hampshire Bernwood ForestBernwood Forest Bernwood was one of several forests of the ancient kingdom of England and was a Royal hunting forest.... , BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a county in South East England.... (including BrillBrill Brill is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, close to the border with Oxfordshire.... and Panshill) and OxfordshireOxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in south-east England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Glouce... Blackmore ForestBlackmore Blackmore is a village in the Brentwood borough of Essex in the East of England.... , DorsetDorset Dorset is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast.... Bolsover ForestBolsover Bolsover is a town in Derbyshire, England, not far from Chesterfield.... , Derbyshire Forest of Braden, Wiltshire (including parish of MinetyMinety, Wiltshire Minety is a village loacted in North Wiltshire, between Malmesbury and Swindon. ... , GloucestershireGloucestershire Gloucestershire is a county in South West England.... ) Burrington Forest CannockCannock Chase Summary Cannock Chase is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire, England.... , Staffordshire Charnwood ForestCharnwood Forest Charnwood Forest is an upland tract in north-western Leicestershire, England.... Chute ForestChute Forest Chute Forest is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. ... , Hampshire and Wiltshire, included Finkley and Digerley Forests Clarendon Forest, Wiltshire (including PanchetPanchet Panchet is a census town in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. ... and Milchet Park), with the associated Forest of BuckholtFacts About Buckholt Buckholt is a hamlet and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, close to the border with Wiltshire.... , Hampshire Duffield FrithDuffield Frith Duffield Frith was, in medieval times, a wooded area of Derbyshire, bestowed upon Henry de Ferrars by King William.... A group of six royal forests in mid DerbyshireDerbyshire Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England.... Epping ForestEpping Forest Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London ... part of Waltham Forest ExmoorExmoor Overview Exmoor National Park is a national park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of Devon and Somerset in South West England.... , Somerset FarndaleFarndale Farndale is a valley located in the North York Moors National Park in North Yorkshire, England.... Forest, Yorkshire Feckenham Forest, WarwickshireWarwickshire Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England.... and WorcestershireWorcestershire Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England.... Forest of DeanForest of Dean The Forest of Dean is a region in the county of Gloucestershire, England.... , GloucestershireGloucestershire Gloucestershire is a county in South West England.... and HerefordshireHerefordshire Herefordshire is a traditional and ceremonial county and unitary district in the West Midlands region of England.... Forest of East DerbyshireForest of East Derbyshire The Forest of East Derbyshire was, in medieval times, an area of wooded heath between the River Derwent and the River Erew... Forest of High PeakForest of High Peak Overview The Forest of High Peak was, in medieval times, a moorland forest covering most of the North West of Derbyshire, in England... , North Derbyshire Forest of RossendaleRossendale Valley Overview The Forest of Rossendale is an upland area of north west England, principally in Lancashire.... FreemantleFreemantle Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton, UK. ... Forest, Hampshire Galtres Forest, Yorkshire Gillingham ForestGillingham, Dorset Gillingham is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England.... , Dorset Groveley Forest, Wiltshire Guildford ParkGuildford Guildford is the county town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative hea... , Surrey Hatfield ForestHatfield Forest Hatfield Forest in Essex, England lies between the parishes of Little Hallingbury and Takeley, and covers 1,049 acres of woo... Hay of Hereford Forest of HuntingdonshireFacts About Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire is an historic county of England around the town of Huntingdon, currently administered as a local government... (including Forests of Weybridge, Sapley and Herthey) Inglewood ForestInglewood Forest Overview Inglewood Forest is the name now given on maps to a large tract of mainly arable and dairy farm land with a few small woodla... , Cumberland Irchenfield Forest, Herfordshire (disafforested 1251) in The FensThe Fens Overview The Fens are an area of former wetlands in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk in eastern England.... of south Lincolnshire. This is not the modern of the same name. KeynshamKeynsham Keynsham, is a town between Bristol and Bath in south west England. ... Forest, Somerset Kinver ForestKinver Kinver is a large village in South Staffordshire district, Staffordshire, England.... , StaffordshireStaffordshire Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England.... formerly extending into WorcestershireWorcestershire Overview Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England.... Kingswood, GloucestershireFacts About Kingswood, Gloucestershire Kingswood is a village in southern Gloucestershire south-west of Wotton-under-Edge.... Langwith Hay, Yorkshire Long Forest, Shropshire Long MyndLong Mynd The Long Mynd, or 'Long Mountain', is a ridge of high ground in South Shropshire, running roughly SW to NE, and extending so... or Strattondale, Shropshire LonsdaleLonsdale Lonsdale can mean:Hugh Cecil Lowther, fifth Earl of Lonsdale... (including Wyresdale and Quernsmore), Lancashire Macclesfield ForestMacclesfield Forest Macclesfield Forest* is an area of woodland, predominantly conifer plantation, located around 5 km south east of Macclesfiel... , Cheshire Malvern Forest, WorcestershireWorcestershire Summary Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England.... was strictly only a chase. Mara et Mondrum, CheshireCheshire Cheshire is a county in North West England.... MelkshamMelksham Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon.... and ChippenhamChippenham Overview Chippenham could be either of these places in the UK:... Forest, Wiltshire MendipMendip Hills The Mendip Hills are a range of limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in north Somerset, England.... Forest, also known as Cheddar, Somerset Morfe Forest, Shropshire, lying east and southeast of Bridgnorth Needwood ForestNeedwood Forest Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.... in east StaffordshireStaffordshire Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England.... was parcel of the Duchy of LancasterDuchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two Royal Duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall.... Neroche Forest, Somerset New ForestNew Forest The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathl... , Hampshire North PethertonNorth Petherton North Petherton is a small town in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and cl... , Somerset Forest of NorthumberlandNorthumberland Summary Northumberland is a county in northern England.... (disafforested 1280) Pamber Forest, Hampshire PickeringPickering, North Yorkshire Summary Pickering is a small town in North Yorkshire, England, on the borders of the North York Moors National Park.... Forest, North YorkshireNorth Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan county within the Government Office Region of Yorkshire and the Humber in northern Eng... Poorstock Forest, Dorset PurbeckPurbeck Purbeck is a local government district in Dorset, England, named for the Isle of Purbeck.... , Dorset Rockingham ForestRockingham Forest Rockingham Forest is a former medieval hunting forest located between the towns of Corby and Kettering in the county of Nort... , (including BrigstockBrigstock Brigstock is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire.... , CliffeFacts About Cliffe Cliffe could beCliffe, County Durham... , GeddingtonGeddington Geddington* is a village on A43 road in northeast Northamptonshire on the River Ise, in the Rockingham Forest, which contains... and Northampton Park) NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in central England with a population of 629,676 .... Forest of RutlandRutland Overview Rutland is traditionally England's smallest county and is bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Linc... , with Sauvey Forest, Leicestershire Salcey ForestSalcey Forest Salcey Forest is a former medieval hunting forest in the south of the county of Northamptonshire in England.... , Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire Savernake ForestSavernake Forest Savernake Forest, located between Marlborough and Hungerford in the English county of Wiltshire, is privately owned by the T... , Berkshire and Wiltshire SelwoodFacts About Selwood Selwood may refer to:;PlacesSelwood, Ontario a former community in Greater Sudbury in Ontario in Canada... Forest, Somerset and Wiltshire Sherwood ForestSherwood Forest Sherwood Forest* is a country park surrounding the village of Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire, England, the remnant of a much l... , NottinghamshireNottinghamshire Nottinghamshire is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and ... Shirlett Forest, Shropshire, whose final extent was a small area northwest of BridgnorthBridgnorth Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, at , along the Severn Valley.... ShotoverShotover Overview Shotover is a hill and country park in Oxfordshire, England.... Forest (including Stowood), Oxfordshire SomertonSomerton Somerton is a town in Somerset, England,... Warren, Somerset Stapelwood, Shropshire (including Buriwood, Lythewood and Stepelton) Windsor ForestWindsor Great Park Windsor Great Park is a large deer park and Crown Estate of 5,000 acres, to the south of the town of Windsor on the border o... , Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey Forest of WirralFacts About Wirral Wirral could refer to:* The Wirral Peninsula, a geographic region in the north west of England... , Cheshire (disafforested 1376) Whittlewood ForestWhittlewood Forest Whittlewood Forest is a former medieval hunting forest in the south of the county of Northamptonshire in England.... , Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire Woodstock ForestWoodstock, Oxfordshire Woodstock is a small town in Oxfordshire, England.... , Oxfordshire WrekinThe Wrekin Summary The Wrekin is the name of a number of things in the East of Shropshire, England.... Forest (more strictly Mount Gilbert Forest), Shropshire (including WellingtonWellington, Shropshire Wellington is a town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England and now forms part of... and Wombridge), and the associated Forest of Haughmond Wychwood ForestWychwood Overview The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire.... , Oxfordshire Wyre ForestWyre Forest Summary Wyre Forest is a large, semi-natural woodland which straddles the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire, England.... , WorcestershireWorcestershire Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England.... and ShropshireShropshire Summary Shropshire is a traditional, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England.... was strictly only a chase See also English Lowlands beech forestsEnglish Lowlands beech forests The term English Lowlands beech forests refers to a terrestrial ecoregion in Northern Europe, as defined by the World Wide F... External links