FORESTRY the places 'where the Coale Delfes are now sunk.' In September, 1634, the king granted this third part of Chevin ward to Sir Edward Sydenham and it was enclosed, and ' the inhabi- tants were compelled by force and terror to submit thereunto.' Nor were the other two parts ever granted to the commoners in fee-farm although enclosed, nor were any admitted tenants of this enclosed ground save the small minority who had agreed to the enclosure. Thereupon in 1643, the inhabitants threw open all the enclosures of this ward, including the king's third part, and have since enjoyed it all in common. ' Had not the distracion by the late Warres prevented them, they had all joyned in a Bill of Reviewe to reverse the Decree made upon soe slender grounds and soe illegally without theire consent.' The commissioners stated that they had had all this testified to them by a jury consisting of ' men of qualitye and sufficient abilityes in those partes and neighbours to the place '; that they were convinced that though a few private persons had been gainers by the inclosure, a far more considerable number had been ' damnifyed thereby,' and that therefore they considered the ward to be rightly common. The affairs of most of Colebrook ward were settled, as we have seen, in 1639-40. Hul- land ward was divided at the same time as Belper ward, in 1633-4, the king's third, consisting of 490 acres, valued at 91. 2.d. a year, being granted to Sir Edward Sydenham. The successful opposition to enclosure only prevailed in the large ward of Duffield or Chevin, including Shottle park. All that part of the old forest that was by violent means thrown open to the commoners in 1643 remained common until 1786, when 1,500 acres were enclosed by Act of 26 George III. Whatever may have been the evils and disadvantages of the Forest Laws, they were at all events most useful in preserving woodlands and fine timber over large areas of England. As these laws decayed in the sixteenth century and gradually evaporated in the next century, their decay was accompanied by a general disappearance of timber throughout the dis- afforested districts. This was to a great extent the case, as has already been seen, in the forest areas of the High Peak and of Duffield Frith. Nevertheless on the banks of the upper stretches of the Derwent, in the townships of Hope-Woodlands and Derwent, there is a fringe of the Peak Forest that has probably never ceased to be woodland; whilst some of the noble trees of the parks of both Kedleston and Alderwasley rise from grounds on different margins of the old Duffield Frith where oaks flourished throughout the mediaeval days. Certain other parks, rich in oaks, in districts of the county outside forest law, have doubtless carried on a woodland tradition on a small scale through many a century. But, broadly speaking, the woodlands of Derbyshire notwithstanding the occasional planting of firs and pines for a century and a quarter in the wilder parts have for a long period continued to diminish. Thomas Brown, of Luton, drew up a report on this county for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture, which was printed in I794-[1] He divided Derbyshire into what he termed High Peak, Low Peak and Fertile, the third division being in the south. For the High Peak, Mr. Brown had nothing but contempt, 'stone walls, meagre inclosures, daring rocks, and a few miserable animals, " sitch as god sent " are the only objects presented to our view.' * As to timber, woods and plantations, he remarked that Fertile and Low Peak were wooded and well calculated for the production of timber. Kedleston Park is described as standing unrivalled in the county both for timber and plantations; he considered it ' a strik- ing instance that even the best pasture land may be planted without diminution of the rental of a family estate.' The mines rendered every piece of timber, though insignificant in itself, truly valuable, so much being required for sprags or props, then locally termed punchions. The ingenuity of the natives also rendered the stub of the ash, hazel, sallow and other shrubs of more value in Derbyshire than in other counties of the south, where they were chiefly used for fuel ' many parts of this county send tools made from these shrubs into counties where they (the stubs) are more plentiful.' Although the increase and improve- ment of the woods, by regular falls and planting, were in use on some estates, the report stated that on the whole, the quantity of timber and woods was on the decrease. Mr. Brown found everyone engaged in rooting up brambles, thorn and bushes, forgetful, as he most wisely pointed out, that such thickets were the natural guardians of the oak, the ash and the elm in their infant state. 8 1 General View of the Agriculture of the County of Derby, 410., pp. 72. * Ibid. 19. Ibid. 42-3. 421
