54
EPPING FOREST.
OBJECTS OF INTEREST WITHIN AND
AROUND THE FOREST.
A monk ther was, a fair for the maisterie ;
An out-ryder, that loved venerye . . .
He gaf not of that text a pulled hen
That seith that hunters be noon holy men . . .
Greyhoundes he had as swift as fowel in flight:
Of pryking and of huntying for the hare
Was al his lust. — The Canterbury Tales.
WANSTEAD PARK.
I am indebted to my brother verderer, Mr. Andrew
Johnston, for the following note on Wanstead
Park :—
Wanstead Park has a history exceeding in in-
terest any other part of the Forest. Just above
the round pond, called the Basin, is the site of the
great mansion, erected by the first Earl Tylney in
1715. Old maps of the neighbourhood show
avenues radiating from the house in all directions,
those to the north-west extending as far as the
Eagle at Snaresbrook, and there appears to have
been little distinction at that time between the
Park and the surrounding Forest. The avenues
were planted for the Earl's father, Sir Josiah Child,
under the direction of the famous John Evelyn of
Watton, the author of Sylva, who informs us " of
Sir Josiah Child's prodigious cost in planting wal-
nut trees about his seat, and making fish-ponds
many miles in circuit in Epping Forest on a