152 EPPING FOREST
totally different character. A part of Theydon
Manor has been entirely cleared a generation or
two back, and has developed a fresh young growth
of holly and birch, with a surface-growth of
heather. In another part of the same Manor the
trees have been periodically cut down to the stool,
leading to a bunchy growth which is not found in
other manors. These bunches have become very
" sticky " from overcrowding. I hope that a pro-
portion of them will be removed, so that the
remainder may put out laterals. There are some
nice young spear oaks, and here and there a grove
of birches has taken possession.
Crossing the Theydon Road we enter Theydon
High Wood, which is distinct from any other part
of the Woodland, and resembles the German beech
forests, the smooth branchless stems standing very
thickly. It would appear that in this wood some
former Lord of the Manor had eradicated every
other kind except a few small oaks. These were
pollarded, whereas the beeches are "spears."
Where some of these beeches have had room to
put out laterals we have given them more room.
Otherwise the foliage would all be confined to one
plane, 40 feet from the ground, which gives a
monotonous effect. Here a rich carpet of beech
leaves takes the place of undergrowth. Near this
wood stands Oak Hill, an old enclosure in the
depth of the wood, which the Lord of the Manor
at one time designed for a residence. With an
eye to that contingency he planted some of the
little valleys with the Rhododendron ponticum, and
elsewhere a number of Spanish chestnuts. Both
kinds have appeared to find a congenial home,
and, though I am opposed on principle to the
introduction of exotics, these have established
their right to the soil. This wood was purchased
and thrown into the Forest by Sir T. Fowell Buxton
and myself.
I have thus far dealt with the important manors
of Epping and Theydon, where there remains very
little to do in the way of thinning. Continuing
to the south we enter Loughton Manor, in which