Figure 4. The Forests of Essex and Middlesex. Black: physical Forests.
Continuous outlines: legal jurisdictions from c.1300. Broken lines: county
boundaries.
Hatfield is the best-preserved of all English Forests, and much of the
medieval character of Writtle also survives (39). These Forests are very unlike
Epping and more complex and cannot be used to supplement the Epping
records. Kingswood Forest, of which little remains, was different again.
The Forest of Enfield Chase in Middlesex was somewhat like Epping in its
vegetation and land-use. Most of it was destroyed in 1777.
19