The Forest of Dean: An Historical and Descriptive Account Part 21

F Turkey Oak. G Chesnut. H Chesnut. I Chesnut.

Inc Inc Inc Inc ft.in. in. ft.in. in. ft.in. in. ft.in. in.

Oct 1836 1 7.25 - 1 11.5 - 2 2 - 2 0.25 - ,, 1838 1 10.25 3 2 3 3.5 2 5.5 3.5 2 5 4.75 ,, 1840 2 1.25 3 2 5.75 2.75 2 8.75 3.25 2 10 5 ,, 1842 2 4.5 3.25 2 9.5 3.75 3 0 3.25 3 3.5 5.5 ,, 1844 2 8 3.5 3 1 3.5 3 2 2 3 9 5.5 ,, 1846 2 11 3 3 4 3 3 5.5 3.5 4 2.75 5.75 ,, 1848 3 2.25 3.25 3 7.5 3 3 8.5 3 4 7.75 5 ,, 1850 3 4.25 2 3 10 2.5 3 9.75 1.25 4 11 3.25 ,, 1852 3 6.75 2.25 4 1 3 3 11.5 1.75 5 3.5 4.5 ,, 1854 3 10 3.25 4 5 4 4 3.5 4 5 8.25 4.75

_The following letter of Mr. Vaughan_, _of Court Field on the Wye_, _near Lydbrook, merits insertion_, _as bearing testimony to the value of the preceding Tables compiled by Mr. Machen_, _exhibiting the growth of Trees in the Forest_.

"Court Field, October 15, 1841.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"I thank you very much for the interesting account you have sent me of the result of your observation during a series of years upon the growth of trees. It is really a most curious doc.u.ment. I ought to have thanked you sooner, but I was anxious, first, to compare your Table with the result of my own admeasurements of trees at Court Field in various situations; and give you, at the same time, the result of my calculations.

"I find that my experience fully corroborates yours, though it induces me to believe that the forest growth is slightly below an average--which the soil and situation would also induce one to imagine.

"I calculate, from your Table, that an oak-tree measuring 6 inches girt doubles its contents (exclusive of its increase in height and limb) in 5 to 6 years. Whereas, a tree measuring 8.5 inches, or half a foot girt, requires 10 or 12 years to double itself.

"With regard to the trees 170 years old, I find that A has increased 19 feet or 28 per cent. only in 30 years, and B 26 feet or 48 per cent. during the same period; neither, therefore, paying much interest on their value within the last 30 years.

"I calculate that the value of the acres of growing timber which you refer to (73 oaks averaging 58 feet) would be 624 pounds at 7 pounds 10s. per 50 feet; or, if the original value of the land and expense of ploughing it amounted to 25 pounds, about twenty-five times its original value.

"If the thinnings be considered equivalent to the expense of protection-fences, &c., and 25 pounds at compound interest for 170 years be calculated, 624 pounds will be found to be less than 1/20 per cent. = a hundredth of 5 per cent. per annum.

"I remain, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours,

"JOHN V. VAUGHAN."

No. IV.

Mr. Wyrrall's Survey of the Forest of Dean Iron Works in 1635.

"_Canop Furnace_.--Most pt new built, the rest repaired by the Farmers, 22ft square, wheel 22ft diamr. Furnace box built 4 years since by the Farmers. Bridge-house 48ft by 21, 9 high, built 4 years, Bellow's boards 18ft by 4. Clerk's house and stable built by the Farmers. A cottage built by the Workmen belonging to the Works, now occupied by the Filler.

Built before the Farmers hired.--Founder's house, Minecracker's cabin, A Mine Kiln.

"_Park Furnace_.--Same dimensions, repaired 4 years since by the Farmers, Wheel and almost all the houses built by the Farmers.

"_Park end Forge_.--2 Hamrs, 3 Fineries, 1 Chaffery, repd 2 years since, one of the Fineries new.

"_Whitecroft Forge_,--built abt 6 yrs since by the Farmers, do do

"_Bradley Forge_.--do do do

"_Sowdley Furnace_, built 3 years--Qu. if rebuilt? Bridge house, pt built by the farmers, pt old and decayd, Trow leading to the wheel, .5 made new 5 years since, decayd, 5 Cottages, 1 built by the Farmers. A dam a mile above Sowdley built by the Farmers. A dam half a mile still higher, built long since.

"_Sowdley Forge_, 2 Fineries, 1 Chaffery built 2 years, in the place of the old Forge. Trows & Penstocks made new by the Farmers, decayed.

"_Lydbrook Furnace_, 23ft long, 9 bottom, 23ft deep, new built 3 yrs since from the ground, 3 ft higher than before, much cracked. A great b.u.t.tress behind the Furnace to strengthen it.

"_Lydbrook Forge_.--1 Chaffery, 2 Fineries, House built 4 years, being burnt by accident."

Besides the above, Mr. Wyrrall also transcribed the following additional particulars from a MS. dated 23 September, 1635, and endorsed,--"The booke of Survey for the Forest of Deane Iron work, and the Warrant annexed unto yt."

"_Cannope Furnace_.--Now blowinge, and likely to contynue aboute 3 weeks.

The most part new built, and the rest repaired by the Farmers about 4 years since. Stone walls, about 60lb, consistinge of the stone body thereof 22 foote square, wherein are:--

"In the fore front 4 Sowes of Iron } and the Tempiron Wall 3 Sowes } 7 Sowes.

"A Wheele, 22 Foote diamr, 7 Iron Whops, one the Waste, made about three years since. With Shafte and all things belonginge about 20lb, in good repaire.

"The Furnace Howse half tiled, built with timber 4 years since by the Farmers, cost about 80lb, in repaire.

"The Bridge house, 21 foot broad, 48 foot longe, and 9 foote heigh, built about 2 years since, the bridge about 4 years, covered with bords bottomed with Planks.

"5 bellow bords ready sawed, 18ft longe, 4ft broad. A Watter Trowe 1ft at bottome and 15 ynches high, 75 yards longe, leadinge the water to the Wheele, cut out of the whole tymber, and ledged at the top, newe made within 4 years, and now in repaire, cost about 20lb.

"The Hutch leading the Watter from the Wheele, 5 foot square, 85 foote long, not mended by these farmers, in repaire.

"In doinge of the saied Workes, besids the Hutch used by estimate about 150 Tonns, at VIIIS, and the Hutch about 40 Tonns, being trees only slitt and clapt together at 5s the Ton.

"_Outhouses_.--The Furnace Keeper's Cabbyne built of timber covered with bords built by the Farmers, cost 3lb, 4 tonns.

"A Cottage neare the said Furnaces built by the workmen of the said Works, now enjoyed by the Filler there, and not belonging to the Workes.

"A Howse wherein the Clarke dwells, built by the Farmers wth a stable, 20 n.o.bs 6 Tonns.

"Another howse adjoyninge for the founder, built before the Farmers'

time.

"Another little cabbyne for the Myne Cracker, built before the Farmers'

time.

"8 dozen of Collyers Hurdles, 13s 4d.

"A Myne Kilne not in repaire, built before the Farmers' tyme, with 5 piggs of Iron in the walls, 20s will repaire.

"Cole places.

"_Implemnts_--one paire of Bellowes furnished with iron implemnts, somewhat defective in the lethers, valued at 15lb, made by the Farmers, the repaire whereof will cost 6lb 13s 4d.

"6 cambes of iron in Wheele Shafte waying about 4cwt.

"3 water Trowes for the Worke.

"1 Grindstone, 19 longe Ringers, 1 short one, 1 Constable, 7 Sinder Shovells, 1 moulding Ship, 2 casting ladles, 1 cinder hooke, 1 Plackett, 2 buck stoves, 1 Tuiron hooke, 1 Iron Tempe, 1 Sinder plate, 1 dame plate.

"4 Wheele barrowes, 1 great Sledge, 1 Tuiron plate cast, 1 Shamell plate, 1 Gage, 1 crackt wooden beame and scales, furnished, and triangles, 1 ton of Wtts, Pigs used for weights upon the bellows poises, 3.5c of Rawe Iron, 1 new firkett in the Backside, 1 lader of 14 rungs, 1 dozen of cole basketts, 2 Myne hammers, 2 Myne Shovells, 2 Coale Rakes, 2 Myne Rakes, 2 baskes to put myne into the Furnace.