Epping Forest
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Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. Formed in approximately 8000 BC after the last ice age, it covers nearly 6,000 acres (24 km²)[1] and contains areas of grassland, heath, rivers, bogs and ponds. Stretching between Forest Gate in the south and Epping in the north, Epping Forest is approximately 18 km long in the north-south direction, but no more than 4 km from east to west at its widest point, and in most places considerably narrower. The forest lies on a ridge between the valleys of the rivers Lea and Roding; its elevation and thin gravelly soil - the result of glaciation - historically made it unsuitable for agriculture. Embankments of two Iron Age camps - Loughton Camp and Ambresbury Banks - can be found hidden in the woodland. It gives its name to the Epping Forest local government district.
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[edit] History
The name "Epping Forest" was first recorded in the 17th century; prior to this it was known as Waltham Forest (which gives its name to the present-day London borough). The forest is thought to have been given legal status as a royal forest by Henry III in the 12th century. This status allowed commoners to use the forest to gather wood and foodstuffs, and to graze livestock, but only the king was allowed to hunt there.
In Tudor times Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I hunted in the forest. In 1543 Henry commissioned a building, known as Great Standing, from which to view the chase at Chingford. The building was renovated in 1589 for Queen Elizabeth I and can still be seen today in Chingford. The building is now known as Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, and is open to the public as a museum.
There were disputes between landowners (who enclosed land) and commoners (who had grazing and cutting rights), including that led by Thomas Willingale (1799-1870) who on behalf of the villagers of Loughton continued to lop the trees after the Lord of the Manor (Maitland) had enclosed 1300 acres of forest in Loughton. This led to an injunction against further enclosures.
The Epping Forest Act was passed in 1878. The forest was saved by the Corporation of London from illegal enclosure, halting the shrinkage of the forest that this had caused. Epping Forest ceased to be a royal forest and the Crown's right to deer and venison was terminated. Pollarding was no longer allowed although grazing rights continued. This act laid down a stipulation that the Conservators (i.e. the Corporation of London) "shall at all times keep Epping Forest unenclosed and unbuilt on as an open space for the recreation and enjoyment of the people". When Queen Victoria visited Chingford on 6 May 1882 she declared "It gives me the greatest satisfaction to dedicate this beautiful forest to the use and enjoyment of my people for all time" and it thus became "The People's Forest". The Corporation of London still own and manage Epping Forest in strict conformity with the Epping Forest Act without any money for its upkeep coming from local rates or taxes. Their headquarters is at the Warren House, Loughton.
Until the outbreak of BSE in 1996 commoners still exercised their right to graze cattle and every summer herds of cattle would roam freely in the southern part of the forest. Cattle were reintroduced in 2001 but their movements are now more restricted to reduce conflict with traffic.[2]
The right to collect wood still exists but is rarely practised and is limited to "one faggot of dead or driftwood" per day per adult resident.
The Conservators administer the forest from the Grade II* listed Warren House in Loughton; the grounds of Warren House, which was built around a medieval hunting lodge, were laid out by Humphry Repton.
[edit] Ecology
The age of the forest and the range of habitats it contains make it a valuable area for wildlife, and it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Its former status as a working or pasture forest have had a great effect on its ecology. This is particularly evident with the pollarded trees, which, as they have not been cut since the passing of the Epping Forest Act, have now grown massive crowns of thick, trunk-like branches with correspondingly large boles. This gives the trees an unusual appearance, not known in other forests. Often the weight of the branches cannot be supported by the parent tree, and the large amount of dead wood in the forest supports numerous rare species of fungi and invertebrates.
Predominant tree species are English oak, European Beech, European Hornbeam, Silver Birch and European Holly. A wide range of animals are found, including Fallow Deer, Muntjac and European adders.
Although the Epping Forest Act almost certainly saved the forest from total destruction, it has to some extent had a deleterious effect on the area's biodiversity. The pollarded trees allowed light through to the woodland floor, increasing the numbers of low-growing plants. Since the Act, the vast crowns of the pollards cut out most of the light to the underbrush. In addition, the area surrounding the forest is now to a great extent urbanised; the corresponding reduction in grazing has led to former areas of grassland and heathland being overcome by secondary woodland — this has been exacerbated by the majority of the forest's deer being enclosed to stop them being injured by vehicles on the major roads that run through the forest. In recent years, the Conservators have experimented with pollarding in selected areas of the forest, and a herd of English Longhorn cattle has been reintroduced to graze the forest floor.
[edit] Cultural references
Epping Forest has frequently been the setting for novels, and has attracted poets, artists and musicians for centuries.
The detective story writer, R Austin Freeman, set part of his Jacob Street Mystery (1940) at Loughton Camp.
The song "The White Buck of Epping" by Sydney Carter (1957) refers to a sighting of (and subsequnt hunt for) a white buck in the forest.
The progressive rock band Genesis has a track titled The Battle of Epping Forest on their album Selling England by the Pound.
British industrial music pioneers Throbbing Gristle recorded a song called Epping Forest on their 1977 cassette release Nothing Short of A Total War
The horror writer James Herbert used Epping Forest as the setting for his novel Lair (published 1979). In the book, a horde of Giant Black Rats establish a colony in the forest and embark on a murderous campaign against humans. Herbert mentions a now obscure legend attached to Epping Forest, the legend of the white stag. Supposedly, the sight of a white stag in Epping Forest was an omen of trouble and death ahead.
The British rock band Feeder shot one of the scenes their first ever video for the single Stereo World (1996) in Epping Forest.
The forest was featured on the 2005 television programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the London area, in an episode presented by Bill Oddie.
The forest has criminal associations. The highwayman Dick Turpin had a hideout there. The tree cover and the forest's location close to London have made it notorious as a burial area for murder victims.
[edit] Leisure Activities
Horse riding is popular in Epping Forest. Riders need to be registered with the Epping Forest conservators before they are allowed to ride in the forest.
High Beach within Epping Forest was the first British venue for motorcycle speedway, on 19 February 1928. The track was behind The King's Oak public house, and drew large crowds in its early days. The track was closed when a swimming pool was added to the pub's grounds after the Second World War, though enthusiasts and veterans still gather at the site every year on the nearest Sunday to 19 February. The remains of the track are still visible, in the grounds of the Epping Forest Field Centre behind the King's Oak.
Mountain bikers from all over the south east of England visit Epping Forest. Damage caused by mountain biking in ecologically and archaeologically sensitive areas of the forest as well as along the footpaths is a cause of ongoing concern to the Corporation of London which manages the forest. Epping Forest was considered as a venue for the mountain-biking event of the 2012 Summer Olympics, though the final choice was Weald Country Park near Brentwood, Essex.
Orienteering and rambling are also popular. There are numerous guidebooks offering shorter walks for the casual visitor. The most important event in the ramblers calendar in the area is the traditional Epping Forest Centenary Walk, an all-day event commemorating the saving of Epping Forest as a public space, which takes place annually on the fourth Sunday in September.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Edward Buxton (conservationist), who played a part in saving the forest for public use
- Stephen Pewsey, Historian
[edit] External links
- Epping Forest Field Centre
- Epping Forest SSSI (English Nature)
- Epping Forest Conservation Volunteers
Categories: Articles needing coordinates from April 2007 | Epping Forest | Environment of Essex | Geography of Essex | Forests and woodlands of England | Parks and open spaces in London | Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex | Sites of Special Scientific Interest in London | Special Areas of Conservation in England
