112
THE WOODLANDS OF ESSEX.
for which the woodlands in the district provided pannage. I
have also noted for each district the average number of acres of
woodlands in each hundred acres contained in that district.
This information I obtained from the 1895 returns of the Board
of Agriculture, which is the latest obtainable. I have also
shaded deeply by cross hatching those parishes which contain
over 8 per cent. of woodland, and have shaded faintly by parallel
lines those parishes containing more than 4 per cent. and less
than 8 per cent. of woods. Excepting in Epping Forest all our
woodlands of importance lie upon the gravels and sands, etc.,
which crop out from between the Boulder Clay—and the London
Clay, or are upon the Bagshot-sands.
ESSEX HEATHLANDS.
Although Heathlands do not come within the scope of this
paper, they are so nearly akin to woodlands that I feel justified
in taking the opportunity of putting upon record some particulars
of a fine stretch of heathlands which formerly stretched from
Dedham almost to Maldon, thus, in a sense, separating the
eastermost part of the county from the west. These heaths are
clearly marked upon Chapman and Andre's map of Essex, and
were known as Dedham Heath, Ardleigh Heath, Boxted Heath,
Crockleford Heath, Myland Heath, Bergholt Heath, Layer
Marney Heath, Tiptree Heath, Tolleshunt Major or Beckenham
Major Heath, and several smaller heaths situated outside this
belt of heathlands, which formed an almost continuous chain,
some twenty miles in length.
Norden tells us20 that in his day large numbers of sheep were
pastured upon this heathland, and that the wool produced was
particularly fine. Pasturage for sheep is noted in Domesday for
some of the above parishes. It is quite likely that the wool
provided by these heaths was utilized in the Bay and Say
manufacture for which the abutting district was celebrated.
These heaths were enclosed in the first half of the 18th
century, soon after the decay of the Wool Industry. At this
time corn growing was a most profitable branch of agriculture
in Essex, and consequently a large amount of woods and waste
20 Speculi Britanniae Pars. John Norden. 1590.