having surveyed in 1544-5 the forest lands surrendered by the
Abbey of Barking at its dissolution. The warrant could refer to
the completion of the building or to its repair but this is not clear
from its context.
An extensive survey and repair operation was commissioned
by Queen Elizabeth in 1589, the year after the Armada, but we
have no documentary evidence of the execution of the repairs.
On 12th June of that year a Special Commission (834(3I.Eliz.))
was promulgated from the Exchequer charging and empowering
' Robert Wrothe, John Hyll, Francis Stonerde, Francis Stacye and
William Rowe' in co-operation with Her Majesty's surveyor,
Edward Ellyott, to survey and report upon two buildings in
Waltham Forest. One of these said to stand in or on Dannett's
Hill was described as ' Greate Standinge ' and undoubtedly refers
to the lodge. The other has been identified with Fairmead or
Sothebys and stood near High Beach but we are not concerned
with that here. There seems to have been some urgency and the
extent of the work said to be necessary suggests that the lodge
was in a serious state of disrepair. The Commissioner's report,
which was to cover the condition of the lodge and the costs of
the necessary repair, was to be delivered with as little delay as
possible to the Barons of the Exchequer at Westminster. The report
signed by 'Robert Wrothe, John Hill, frauncis Stonard and fransye
Stacy' was dated 23rd June, 1589 and was delivered into the
Court on 11th November by John Hickes under oath. This
document still exists at the Public Record Office though I found
much of it to be illegible or decayed. However, sufficient remains
to give a clear idea of the findings of the Commissioners. It
appears from this document that the walls required re-plastering,
the roof mending and re-tiling, certain outbuildings and fences
replacing and the floors and windows renewing. The following
extracts are of particular interest as they show the extent of the
repairs envisaged and the estimated costs.
Men(d)ing the roof
and kovering the same
with tyle will require
Tyles, 5000 at xj...... lxs.
ridge tyles 60......
lyme one load with caridg ...
tyle pins, one bushell xvjd.
lath x bundles with xiijs iiijd.
lath naile, 5000
workmanshipp of the tyler to ripp up
the old t(yles) over the house and to
lay them again and also the newe.
6