24
NOTES ON SOME ESSEX WOODS.
By JOHN FRENCH.
THE tract of country in which the woods lie to which I would
draw attention is about fourteen miles long by six or seven
broad and lies from S.W. to N.E. It starts at High Easter and
finishes at Bardfield. The tract could probably be extended for
several miles in any direction. I have taken this particular
slice because it is as typical as any other of what was once the
great Forest of Essex, and very much more so than those areas
which have been invaded by the artificial planter or the ruthless
collector. Moreover, I happen to know the district so well that
I can speak with some degree of confidence.
Within this area almost any one of the woods would illustrate
the remarks I have to make. I will, however, enumerate a few
(generally of the larger woods) which may be considered typical.
They are:—
High Easter ... ... ... Garnetts Wood
Dunmow ... ... Bumpstead Wood
The Walthams ... ... ... Sheepcotes Wood
Felstead ... ... ... ... The Almshouse Spring
Leighs ... ... ... ... Fairwood
Saling ... ... ... ... Boxted Wood
Bardfield ... ... ... ... Fox's Wood
According to John Richard Green in his Making of England
(small sketch map there), the whole of this tract of land was
covered with forest as late as the sixth century of our era. The
forest of Essex at that time extended nearly across the county
in that direction. But if we had no documentary evidence to go
upon, we could have drawn a pretty safe inference that these
woods were but mere outliers of the forest of Waltham—for by
comparison the most casual observer would have noted the remark-
able similarity between all these woods and that now known as
Epping Forest. Although innovations have not destroyed the
true character of Epping Forest, they have done something
towards masking it in more respects than one. The introduction
of new species of trees is, of course, the most marked change.
Such introductions are reduced to a minimum, or do not exist at
all, in the woods we purpose discussing. It is this freedom from
artificial innovation that gives interest to the study of these
fragments of the Great Forest of Essex.