The total acreage of underwood recorded in the Survey for the whole county is, in round numbers, 9,000 acres; and the total of wood for pannage is 11,900 acres. To these must be added conjectural estimates for the comparatively few cases in which woods are measured by the mile or furlong. These probably increase the underwood to about 14,000 acres, and the wood to 20,000 acres, giving a rough total of 34,000 acres of woodland as opposed to the 44,000 of the present day. Among the largest of these woods estimated by lineal measure was one at Doddington, belonging to the abbey of St. Peter's, Westminster, measuring 1½ miles long by 1 mile broad, and and a stretch of underwood at Broughton by Lincoln, which was 2 miles long by 1 mile broad. There were also woods in the Isle of Axholme, at Epworth, Owston, and Upperthorpe, each of which are entered as a square mile. The largest wooded area entered by acres was that of Corby in the south of the county, where the Bishop of Lincoln had a wood of 1,100 acres. Next to this came Bitchfield, between Grantham and Corby, where one proprietor had a wood of 700 acres and another of 200 acres.
The southern part of the Kesteven Division was a forest (using the word in its old signification as a great preserve of wild game) in pre-Conquest days. This forest of Kesteven included a great stretch of the Deeping Fens, as well as a fringe of woods and much brushwood; it formed part of the possessions of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, who was lord of Brune and the adjoining marshes. In the time of Henry I the bounds of this forest were much enlarged. The extent, according to Dugdale—
was from the bridge of East Deeping, now Market Deeping, to the church of Swinston, on the one side; and from the bridge of Bicker, and Wragmere Stake, on the other side; which metes divided the north parts, and the river of Weland the south; excepting the fen of Goggisland, in regard it was a sanctuary of holy Church, as belonging to the abbey of Crouland; which fen the monks of that house, having license from the said king, did cloze for their own use; making the ditches about it bigger than ordinary, for the avoyding of discord.[1]
The northern part of this forest was discharged from its obligations in 1204; for in May of that year King John disafforested the marshes pertaining to the four adjacent towns of Donington, Quadring, Gosberton, and Surfleet.[2]
The rest of this wide extent of country remained under forest law until April 1230, when Henry III granted the complete disafforesting of all lands, marshes and turbaries within the Kesteven division, declaring it altogether free from regarders, foresters, verderers or other forest ministers.[3]
Many of the foundation and other twelfth and thirteenth century charters of the religious houses of the county bear evidence of woodlands scattered in small plots throughout the shire. Thus the foundation charter of Kirkstead abbey mentions totum boscum in one place, and altum boscum in another; the early charters of Revesby abbey, and of the priories of Greenfield, Elsham and Nocton contain specific mention of woods; those of Swineshead abbey name woods on three of the adjacent manors; whilst Louth Park abbey held much brushwood (terra bruscosa), and Sempringham priory 20 acres of wood at Aslackby.[4]
Various Ministers' Accounts among the national muniments also yield woodland information, of which the following must serve as examples. The accounts of Willoughton and other manors, formerly held by the Knights Templars, for the year 1309, mention, under Gainsborough, the custom of paying a forester for warding the wood of Thonock for ten weeks, from 30 March to 30 July.[5]
The accounts of the manor of Bolingbroke seem to show that there was considerable clearance of coppice wood on that estate from time to time. In the year 1399 the large sum of 20s. 11d. was paid costage del fagottes.[6]
At Grayingham there must have been a large wood fit for swine pannage. The accounts for 1404 name William Hopkinson as the 'Takman' there, and enter a payment at Michaelmas of 1d. for 'Wodehalpens.'[7] The tackman or takman was one who entered the number of pigs turned into the manor wood at the appointed season by the tenants.[8]
A report on the agriculture of the county was drawn up for the Board of Agriculture in 1794. It is there stated that it was customary to have the woodland cleared in rotation, and the underwood cut without the vacant places being supplied with young plants. The woods of Sir Peter Burrell are commended as judiciously managed. Various improvements in timber-growing and in underwood are noted, and there are some interesting observations as to the advantages or otherwise of
- ↑ Dugdale, Hist. of Imbanking (1662), 194–5.
- ↑ Cal. Rot. Chart. (P.R.O.), p. 128.
- ↑ Close, 14 Hen. III, m. 9.
- ↑ Dugdale, Mon. (orig. ed.), i, 776, 805, 806, 822, 881; ii, 211, 421, 791.
- ↑ Gen. Mins. Accts. 91416.
- ↑ Duchy of Lane. Mins. Accts. 11987728.
- ↑ Gen. Mins. Accts. 91018.
- ↑ Cox, Royal Forests, 42, 200.
