A.D. 1841-1858.
Messrs. Clutton's, &c., Report on the Forest timber--Viscount Duncan's
Committee--Supply of 1,000 loads of timber to the Pembroke Dockyard
resumed--Mr. Drummond's Committee--Report of Mr. Brown--Messrs.
Matthews's Report.
By this time (1842) some of the enclosures made in 1814 were become fit
for being thrown open, the young trees having grown up sufficiently, and
the following Commissioners, viz., Lord Lincoln, A. Milne, C. Gore, Sir
T. Crawley, J. Pyrke, M. Colchester, C. Bathurst, E. Machen, P. J.
Ducarel, J. F. Brickdale, Esqrs., proceeded to authorize the laying open
of 163 acres 2 roods 24 poles in Little Stapledge and Birchwood,
directing that an equal quantity of land should be added to the Acorn
Patch and the Bourts.
In the year 1843 Beechenhurst and Shutcastle Enclosures, comprising 467
acres 2 roods 31 poles, were disenclosed, an equal extent of land at the
Delves, Harry Hill, Hangerberry, Old Croft, the Blind Meand, Cleverend
Green, Clearwell Meand, and Birch Hill being taken in. Upon the 22nd of
this October a sale was effected to the Crown, for the sum of 1,260
pounds, of the eligible school premises at Cinderford, erected originally
by Mr. Protheroe for his workpeople. On the 22nd of October in the
ensuing year, 1844, the church adjoining the school just named, to the
erection of which Dr. Warneford and Charles Bathurst, Esq., largely
contributed, was consecrated by Bishop Monk, the Crown endowing it with
150 pounds per annum, making the total sum given by the Government to
church endowments in the Forest upwards of 10,347 pounds. The following
year is almost a blank in the annals of the neighbourhood. The Report of
the Commissioners of Woods was issued on the 5th of August.
In 1846 enclosures to the extent of 1,433 acres 3 roods 5 poles,
comprising Blakeney Hill, Crab-tree Hill (North), Holly Hill, Bromley,
part of Edgehills, and part of Stapledge, were thrown open, and instead
thereof enclosures were made at Light Moor, Middle Ridge, and Phelp's
Meadow, Blaize Bailey, Mitcheldean Meand (North, South), and Loquiers,
the Delves No. 4, Crump Meadow, Bourts No. 1 and 2, Eastbatch Meand, and
Coverham (North and South). The Commissioners of Woods published their
yearly Report on the 25th of August this year, signed by Lord Morpeth.
It states that since 1841 upwards of 291 pieces of encroached land had
been purchased by the foresters for 201 pounds 13s. 3d., and that no less
than 193 grants of coal and iron mine had been galed under 1 and 2 Vict.
c. 48, at a total annual rent to the Crown of 3,783 pounds, in sums
varying from 1 to 250 pounds, as at the Bilson Colliery, besides 315
grants of stone-quarries at a total rent of 87 pounds 9s. 7d. This
includes the following coal-works lately galed, viz., the collieries of
Nash's Folly, New Mill Engine, Unity Colliery, Nag's Head, Smart's Delph,
Gosly Knoll, producing a rental of 16 pounds, and the iron-mines at Old
Park, Scarpit, Easter, Slope Pit, Yew-tree, Bromley Hill, Drybrook,
Prince of Wales, Belt, and Wigpool, bringing 81 pounds 10s. to the Crown,
to all which receipts a royalty of so much per ton on the mineral sold
was added.
Mr. Machen's Notes inform us that in the autumn of 1846 "there was the
most abundant crop of Spanish chesnuts we have ever had, and they ripen
well, but the people injure the trees to get them. No acorns at
all--there are some on the Turkey oaks. The fruit of most kinds has
failed this year, as well as the potatoes; but of some kinds, such as
chesnuts, grapes, blackberries, the crop is abundant. The spruce firs
are looking very bad; many of them are nearly dead."
Except as respects the granting of additional coal and iron gales, the
succeeding year of 1847 may be passed over. It appears by the annual
Report which came out on the 29th of June, that the new iron-mines galed
were those of Wigpool, Dean's Meand, Fairplay, Lydbrook, Symmond's Rock,
Earl Fitzharding's Frog Pit, Penswell's, Eastbatch, and Tufton, paying a
rental to the Crown of 104 pounds, and Morgan's Folly Colliery, rented at
4 pounds.
Proceeding to the year 1848, the Report of the Commissioners of Woods,
which appeared in September, informs us that upwards of 18,000 acres in
the district of the Forest were covered with wood and timber.
Unfortunately blight again prevailed, of which in the month of June Mr.
Machen's MS. records:--"The oak-trees have been attacked for several
years past by a small caterpillar which eats all the leaves, and this
year the destruction has been greater than ever; the whole Forest has
been almost leafless; the high ground and the low, the large timber and
the young plantations, have all suffered alike. The first time I noticed
this blight was in 1830, when the High Meadow woods and many parts of the
Forest suffered, but it was principally confined to the large timber. It
has continued more or less every year since, but this has been the worst
year of any; yet it is remarkable that the High Meadow Woods are free
from it and in fine foliage, but no part of the Forest has escaped. The
grub, a little black caterpillar, comes to life just as the oak is coming
into leaf, and feeds upon the leaves. It attacks no other tree; the
beech, chesnut, &c., stand in full verdure surrounded by the brown and
leafless oaks. They envelop the tree in a web they spin about the end of
May; they enclose themselves in a leaf curled up, and remain in a
chrysalis state until the middle of June or July, when they change into a
pale greenish small moth that flies about the trees in myriads, and lay
their eggs in the bark of the trees for future mischief, and then die.
There seems to be no means of checking their ravages. The rooks come in
great numbers, and they and other birds destroy great quantities. The
trees put forth a second foliage at the midsummer shoot, but not full,
and the shoot of the year and the growth of the trees must be injured."
Under the date of the 30th of April, 1849, Messrs. John Clutton and
Richard Hall report to the Government, on the Forest of Dean, that "there
are about five hundred acres of the open Forest now covered with old
timber, which is for the most part very fine and of very large size, and
is nearly all of good quality. Our opinion is that a large portion of
this timber is fit for naval purposes, and we suppose it to be worth
49,000 pounds. Its precise age we are not enabled to discover, but our
impression is that this timber is about 160 years of age. It has clearly
been planted since 1667, as it is recorded that only 200 trees remained
on the Forest in that time. There is some old timber fit for the navy in
the enclosed plantations, of the probable value of 34,500 pounds. There
are also about 500 acres of land planted in the Forest with single trees,
which are in process of becoming fit for naval purposes; and there is a
further portion occupied with trees of spontaneous growth. These, with
the plantations thrown open, we estimate at 3,000 acres; the value of
these we estimate at 106,000 pounds. The Crown has now occupied with
young and old timber about 14,000 acres of the Forest."
The same reporters speak of "the existing plantations being in a very
good state, having been judiciously and well planted, fully stocked, well
managed, and sufficiently protected. They are properly drained and amply
thinned; so that there is upon the ground, in a state to proceed to
maturity, as good a crop as can be found to exist in any part of England,
taking extent and quality of soil into consideration. The plantations
reflect great credit upon all parties concerned in their management, the
system of which we should strongly advise to be continued. To remove the
young trees with the view of converting the land into arable cultivation
would involve a loss of 280,500 pounds, besides that of the increasing
net annual profit, which official returns prove to be as follows:--
pounds. _s._ _d._
From 1828 to 1531 17 4
1832, or
average of 5
years
,, 1833 to 2475 16 2
1838 ,,
,, 1839 to 3566 17 1
1843 ,,
,, 1843 to 5482 11 3
1848 ,,
Early in this year a select Committee of the House of Commons was
appointed to inquire into the expenditure and management of the Woods,
Forests, and Land Revenues of the Crown, Viscount Duncan being in the
chair. Mr. Machen was examined by the committee with regard to the
Forest of Dean, and amongst other particulars stated that "the fact of
the expenditure on account of this Forest having increased within the
last six years was explained by the circumstance that 3,000 pounds a year
had been laid out on the new plantations, and that the balance in favour
of the Crown had been still further reduced by the recent fall in the
price of bark and also of timber, owing probably to peculiar difficulties
attending its removal." He observed that large immediate profits could
not be obtained from the oak plantations, which would, however, increase
in value at the rate of about 15,000 pounds a year; and moreover that a
considerable revenue from the sale of timber-props for the mine-works,
&c., might be expected. Mr. Machen also reported an improvement in the
order and conduct of the inhabitants of the Forest generally, the fruit,
it may reasonably be assumed, of the many years of pious labour which the
clergy and Christian teachers of the neighbourhood had bestowed on the
people. The Act of 1841, under which the mines of the Forest were
awarded, had, he said, been found most useful. Before the arrangements
under this Act were effected, much quarrelling and litigation were
continually taking place. The royalty paid by the various mines to the
Crown amounted to 4,000 pounds a year, and was steadily increasing; eight
years ago it was only 700 pounds.
The evidence of Mr. Langham, the Assistant Deputy Surveyor, relates to
the mode in which pit-timber and cordwood for the charcoal burner were
supplied, as well as the method pursued in planting, being that of about
1,300 young oaks to the acre, and the same of larch, four feet apart.
Mr. Nicholson, a tenant of the Park End Colliery, forcibly urged the
construction of branch lines of railway, connecting the different works
in the Forest with the leading lines, to the certain benefit of the
coal-master, the consumer, and the Crown, the existing tramways being
inadequate to their purpose.
Mr. Isaiah Teague took the same view, and further supported the
recommendation that greater facilities should be given, not only to the
mineowners to build cottages for their men, but also that the operatives
themselves should be enabled to buy small plots of land for the purpose,
they being now frequently obliged to live far distant from their places
of work, there being few, if any, houses situated near them. These
witnesses, as well as several others, agreed in stating that it was
inexpedient to have deer in the Forest, as unsettling the habits of the
people, and encouraging poaching. They yet admitted, however, that the
deer were highly ornamental.
It was also stated in evidence that the Forest was now fully planted; and
whereas some of the witnesses recommended that the larger portion of the
wood should be cut, and the remainder converted into arable or pasture
land, it was shown by others that to do so would be like cutting a crop
of wheat whilst green, and be defeating the original intention of the
Government, which was to raise timber for the use of the navy, which the
private woods of the kingdom could not supply. Much, too, of the soil
was said to be unsuited for farming purposes, being so precipitous in
some parts, and stony in others, as to be unfit for ploughing. Much of
the timber was reported to be of the finest character, and the young
trees, for the most part, doing very well. No improvements in the
management of the estate were suggested, and at the close of the inquiry
the committee reported that the plantations were growing luxuriantly,
having been well thinned, and did credit to all concerned in their
management.
The succeeding year of 1850 is chiefly noticeable for a general meeting
on behalf of the fund for defraying the expenses of the contemplated
Industrial Exhibition of all Nations, to take place the next year. It
was held upon Wednesday the 12th of June, on the green in front of the
Speech-house, under the presidency of Mr. Machen, supported by the
magistrates and master-miners of the district. The day was fine, and at
least 5,000 people attended--three bands of music accompanying them from
the different sides of the Forest. A large waggon constituted the
platform on which the speakers stood. The sight was a striking one,
amidst the fine foliage of the surrounding Forest, and all passed off in
a manner worthy of the occasion.
The Commissioners of Woods' Report, dated the 27th of June this year,
informs us that gales of coal had been granted, under the names of the
Beaufort Engine, Oaken Hill, New Bridge, East Slade (lapsed), and the
Injunction Iron Mine--paying a total rental of 54 pounds. In November
following this Forest contributed its quota of navy-timber, amounting to
388 loads 22 feet, towards the total of 1,000 loads levied upon the Royal
Forests; which quantity was delivered at the Pembroke Dockyard at the
cost of 992 pounds 8s. for carriage. It may also be mentioned that at
the Gloucester Summer Assizes of this year the action of Lord Seymour, as
Chief Commissioner of Woods, _versus_ Morrell, for arrears of dead rent
which accumulated to the amount of 1,291 pounds 1s. 2d., was tried before
Lord Chief Justice Campbell and a special jury, when a verdict was found
for the Crown, subject to the opinion of the Court of Queen's Bench upon
a special case, which proved, however, confirmatory of the original
decision.
On the 30th of July, 1851, the official Report on the Forest was issued.
It gives us the dates of three grants of land made this spring for school
purposes, situated at Viney and Blakeney Hill, and at Ruerdean Woodside.
It also bears fresh testimony to the satisfactory working of the Act of 1
& 2 Vict., c. 43, for regulating the opening and working of mines and
quarries, the litigation to which they had formerly given rise under the
ill-defined and objectionable customs which had so long prevailed having
almost entirely ceased. The actual amount annually paid to the Crown
during the last six years was stated to be 4,281 pounds 17s. 4d., besides
the profit made by the sale of pit-timber. Royalties and tonnage-dues
were its chief sources, although arrears of minimum or dead rent had
accumulated to the extent of 12,805 pounds 8s. 2.5d.--payment having been
refused in some cases on the plea that at certain times no minerals had
been raised. Gales of coal had been granted to Cousin's Engine,
Beaufort, and Fox Hole; and during the previous year 335,687 tons of coal
and 80,531 tons of iron mine had been raised. This autumn arrangements
were made for felling 553 loads of timber in the Forest, and 177 loads in
the High Meadow Woods, for the use of the navy, under the Queen's
sign-manual of the 7th of May.
In the following year (1852) there were two grants of land for
educational and ecclesiastical purposes; one piece was for the site of a
school at the Hawthorns, and the other for a parsonage attached to the
new church at Lydbrook, which was consecrated on the previous 4th of
December by Dr. Ollivant, Lord Bishop of Llandaff, acting for Dr. Monk,
who was unable to attend.
During the months of April and June of this year the Right Hon. T. F.
Kennedy, who, in October, 1851, had been appointed Chief Commissioner,
visited the Forest of Dean, and was much struck with its fine character
and great capabilities. Impressed with the conviction that it might be
brought to yield a larger return to the Crown, he sought the advice of
Mr. Brown, well known in Scotland as a surveyor of woods, who inspected
the several plantations, and suggested that every encouragement should be
given to the extension of railways through the Forest, and also
recommended the erection of circular sawing power, for the purpose of
reducing the timber to a portable size and shape for naval purposes, by
which its value would be much increased, and the expense of carriage
reduced. He likewise advised that the plan hitherto pursued of stripping
the bark from the young oaks, standing, should be discontinued, and that
the bark should be removed after the trees were felled, as being more
convenient, and favourable to the durability of the wood, and likewise as
affording the earliest opportunity to the adjoining trees to shoot out
into the vacant spaces. He also thought that the bark was better cured
on stages raising it above the ground, than merely by setting it upon an
end; and he suggested more frequent and moderate thinnings of the
plantations, which for the sake of uniformity should be marked by the
same person, thinning more on the productive soils than elsewhere. Mr.
Brown considered, moreover, that fewer woodmen and keepers might suffice.
Accordingly the bark was this autumn dried on stages, and the number of
keepers was reduced to three. The whole of the timber in Russell's
Enclosure was felled, and the trees at Howler's Slade, Church Hill, Park
End, and on the side of the road to Blakeney were marked for being so,
with the exception of any very large or picturesque ones. At this time
also the Lydbrook Deep Level Colliery, and the East Dean Deep Colliery,
were awarded; and at the close of the year Mr. Machen resigned his office
of Deputy-Gaveller, which was next held by Mr. Warington Smith.
In the spring of 1853 all the timber on Church Hill, at Howler's Slade,
and between the Blakeney Roads was cut down, forming what is now usually
called "the great fall." The mode of management in the Forest was now
rapidly changing, and Mr. Machen, the Deputy-Surveyor, decided this year
to resign, after a service of well nigh half a century. He was succeeded
by Mr. Brown. The flittern bark of this season was dried on stages,
having been taken off the young oaks after they had been felled; but the
process was not found to answer.
The Hagloe estate, situated between the Forest and the river Severn, was
this year purchased by Government on account of its securing the best
site for railway communication with the South Wales line, as well as for
shipping timber, the river in that part being particularly favourable for
the purpose. The formation of three distinct tramways was now also
licensed, one from near Milkwall down to the Severn and Wye line, another
from Speculation Colliery to the same point, and a third from the
Ruerdean Woodside Colliery to East Slade.
In the next year (1854) a select Committee of the House of Commons sat
during the month of June, under the presidency of Mr. Henry Drummond, to
collect information respecting "the management and condition of the Crown
Forests." So far as related to the Forest of Dean, the inquiry seems to
have arisen from its being supposed that the timber therein, of which
7,800 loads had been felled during the two previous years, might have
been sold at higher prices, and that the mode of stripping and drying the
bark was defective. Yet it appeared in evidence that the price of the
timber was about the same as such timber usually fetched in the
neighbourhood, and that, upon the whole, the method of removing the bark
from the trees whilst standing, and then setting it upright to dry, was
as good as that of first felling the tree, and then stripping it and
drying the bark on stages. Moreover, the portable steam saw, which had
been sent to the Forest with the design of cutting the timber, as
recommended by Mr. Brown, was found to be too small for the purpose,
although it was as large as could be conveniently moved from place to
place, and hence it proved of little or no use.
The Lords of the Treasury, desirous to satisfy the public and the
legislature as to the state of Dean Forest in common with the other Crown
Forests, directed Messrs. J. Matthews, William Murton, and W. Menzies to
make a personal examination of them, and to report their opinion thereon.
This they accordingly did in considerable detail. With regard to Dean
Forest they say--"The enclosures were originally planted with extreme
care, their situations judiciously chosen, the land well prepared, and
the plants protected with nurses." "Viewing these plantations as a
whole," they say, "we feel quite justified in representing to your
Lordships that not only is their state such as to merit approval, but
having reference to their regularity, growth, and prospective ultimate
development, they are not surpassed by any Forest property in the
kingdom."
Whilst the condition of the Forest of Dean was being thus canvassed, its
management had been entrusted to Mr. Brown; but after a few months he was
removed, and at the particular request of Government he was succeeded by
Mr. Machen, until a permanent arrangement should be made, which was not,
however, before the 11th of November, when the office was conferred on
Sir James Campbell, Bart., heretofore Deputy-Surveyor of Bere and
Parkhurst Forests, and now selected for the ability he had shown in their
management. The Treasury Letter announcing his appointment also states
that "after the satisfactory opinion conveyed in the Report of Messrs.
Matthews, Menzies, and Murton regarding the system of management
heretofore followed in this Forest, the time has come when Mr. Machen may
be honourably relieved from the charge which he so long ably fulfilled,
and which he resumed at the request of this Board."
During this year (1854) no less than 4,982 acres 1 rood 20 poles of
plantation were thrown open, comprising the enclosures of Haywood, Edge
Hills, Ruerdean Hill, and Aston Bridge. The following licences were
likewise granted:--To the Messrs. Kingsford for constructing a length of
tramway connecting the Woodside Colliery with a terminus to be formed at
Church-way; to Messrs. Allaway for making a tramroad from the Plumphill
to their iron-mine at Wigpool; to Messrs. Davis, Cooper, and Roberts to
open a brickyard, and to sink additional iron-pits at Cinderford,
Clearwell, and Lamb's Quay.
In 1855 information was sought to be procured as to the expediency of
removing the dead wood from growing oak-trees. The practice hitherto had
been not to do so, a course of which a large number of timber merchants,
whose known experience justified their being consulted, expressed their
unanimous approval, declaring it far better to leave its removal to
nature. Another interesting investigation was now also instituted,
relative to the suitableness of the Deodara pine as a Forest tree.
Upwards of 120,000 plants had been raised from seed, supplied by the East
India Company, in four private nurseries, half of which were distributed
in Dean Forest and the New and Delamere Forests; but it is yet too early
to afford any definite results. The young plants, however, appear to be
particularly susceptible to frost.
On the 31st of March in this year the Hon. James Kenneth Howard was
appointed one of the Chief Commissioners to administer the affairs of the
Royal Forests, the Hon. Charles Gore having for some time, after Mr.
Kennedy's retirement, been the sole Commissioner.
Three additional coal-mines, called Richard White's Colliery, Hollow
Meadow ditto, and Ruardean ditto, besides an iron-mine, called Maxwell
and Brooklyn Mine, were now granted, besides six stone-quarries and
another brickyard. Licence was also granted to Messrs. Crawshay to
connect their extensive colliery at Light Moore with the main line of
railway near Cinderford, on the broad gauge principle, besides four other
licences to connect various other works with the chief lines of traffic
by short lengths of tramway.
It may be here remarked, that two years previously an inspector was
appointed to view the timber intended to be felled for the navy before
its being cut, and the following table exhibits the proportion of timber
received at the Dockyard before and since the adoption of such a plan,
showing its great utility:--
DEAN FOREST. HIGH MEADOW.
1851 48 per cent. 1851 22 per cent.
1852 44 ,, 1852 31 ,,
1853 30 ,, 1853 no fall.
1854 no fall 1854 ,,
1855 65 per cent. 1855 92 per cent.
On Tuesday, the 22nd of January, 1856, an important meeting took place at
the Speech-house, Sir J. Campbell taking the chair, assisted by the Rev.
H. W. Bellairs, Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, with the object of
attempting to raise the standard of teaching in the schools of the
district, eighteen in number, the Crown contributing to the support of
each of them. The meeting was largely attended, especially by the
neighbouring clergy, and resulted in a period of five years being allowed
to the managers of such schools to secure the services of certificated or
registered teachers, and to adopt a scale of payments by the children,
graduated according to the rental or rateable value of the tenements
occupied by their parents. The formation of a central school, adapted
for educating youths for filling responsible situations in the iron and
coal works of the Forest, was likewise recommended, and is obviously
desirable. Changes were also now made, with a view to economy, in the
staff of woodmen and labourers on the Forest, whereby an annual saving,
both immediate and prospective, would be obtained.
With the exception of a few decayed timber trees being felled in the
course of the following year (1857), there is nothing requiring further
notice, and I therefore here close the historical account of the Forest,
and shall proceed in the following chapters with the other objects of
inquiry which have been indicated.