QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LODGE
AND THE
EPPING FOREST MUSEUM.
I.—THE LODGE.
Before any description of the contents of the Museum is
given, it is desirable to offer some account of the old timber-framed
and plastered building itself, which is worthy of more than cursory
inspection as being an almost or quite unique example of a " grand
stand " of Tudor times, from whence the sport-loving sovereign and
great ones of the land might conveniently witness a drive-past of
the Forest deer.
Originally of late 15th century erection, the earliest known
mention of the Lodge is in a Report, dated June 23rd, 1589, on two
of Queen Elizabeth's houses in Waltham Forest, as Epping Forest
was then called. One of these is therein referred to as the " Greate
Standinge " or " lodg " on " Dannet" or " Dannetts " Hill, and has
been satisfactorily identified with the building which we now know
as " Queen Elizabeth's Lodge": in the Report, the upper floors