claim, I fee, (by an old record taken from the Tower of London)
of turning all live flock on the foreft, at proper feafons, bidentibus'
exceptis °. . The reafon, I prefume, why fheep p are excluded, is,
becaufe, being fuch clofe grazers, they would pick out all the
fineft graffes, and hinder the deer from thriving.
Though (by ftatute 4 and 5 W. and Mary) c. 23. “ to burn on
“ any wafte, between Gandlemas and Midfurnmer, any grig, ling,
“ heath and furze, gofs or fern, is puniihable with whipping
“ and confinement in the houfe of co r r e c t io n y e t , in this foreft,-
about March or April, according to the drynefs of the feafon,
fuch vail heath-fires are liglitéd up, that they often get to a maf-
terlefs head, and, catching thé- hedges, have fometimes been
communicated to the underwoods, woods, and coppices, where
great damage has enfued. The plea for thefe burnings is, that,
when the old coat o f heath, &c. is confirmed,' young wilt
fprout up, and afford much tender brouze for cattle ; but, where
there is large old furze, the fire, following the roots, eonfumes
the very ground; fo that for hundreds of acres nothing is to be
feen but fmother and defolation, the-whole circuit round looking
like the cinders of a volcano; and, the foil being quite ëxhauftedj
no traces of vegetation are to be found-for years. Thefe conflagrations,
as they take place ufually with a north-eaft or eafl wind,,
much annoy this village with their fmoke, and often alarm the
country; and, once in particular, I remember that a gentleman,
who lives beyond Andover, coming to my hoüfe, when he got oh
the downs between that town and Winchefter, at twenty-five miles
6 For this privilege the owner o f that eftate ufed to pay to the king annually leven
bufhels o f oats.
p In T V Holt, where a full ftock o f fallow-deer has been kept up till lately, no Iheep
are admitted to this day.
diftance.
diflance, was furprifed much with fmoke and a hot fmell of fire;
and concluded that Alresford was in flames; but, when he came to
that town, he then had apprehenfions for the next village, and fo
on to the end of his journey. -
On two of the moft confpicuous eminences of this foreft ftand
two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oaks; the one called
Waldon-lodge, the other Brimftone-lodge: thefe the keepers renew
annually on the feaft of St. Barnabas, taking the old materials for
a perquifite. The farm called Blackmoor, in this parifli, is obliged
to find the polls and brufh-wood for the former; while the farms
at Greatham, in rotation, furnilh for the latter; and are all enjoined
to cut and deliver the materials at the fpot. This cuftom I mention,
becaufe I look upon it to be of very remote antiquity.
L E T T E R VIIITO
TH E SAM E .-
O n the verge of the foreft, as it is now circumfcribed, are three
confiderable lakes, two in Oakhanger, of which I have nothing
particular to fay-; and one, called Bin’s , or Bean’s pond, which is-
worthy the attention of a naturalift or a fportfman. For, being
crowded at the upper end with willows, and with the cares
cefpitofa\ it affords fuch a fafe and pleafing fhelter to wild ducks,
, i mean that fort which, riling into tall haffocks, is called b y the forefters torras -, a
corruption* I fuppofe of turrets. ,
Note,- In the beginning o f the fummer 1787 the royal foreft» o f Welmer and Holt were
meafured by perfons fent down by government, t e a ls *