82 THE LATEST ADDITION TO EPPING FOREST.
demolished and obliterated, and a fence has also been erected
between the land of an adjoining owner and the narrow strip
which is to form the new approach to the Forest from Low Street
on the Sewardstone road.
On Thursday, June 1st, 1899, a large company assembled
on the crown of Yardley Hill to witness the dedication of the
spot, "to be part and parcel of Epping Forest and to be open
for ever to the public," the ceremony being performed by His
Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Ranger of the Forest,
who was accompanied by the Duchess. The day was summerlike
and pleasant, and the fine broad landscape of the valley of the
Lea seen from the hill enabled the visitors to realise vividly that
a most important accession to the waste of the Forest had that
afternoon become a matter of history, and warm expressions of
gratitude to Mr. Buxton for his thoughtful kindness were heard
on every side.
A small addition to the Forest has also been made at
Leytonstone. This fact is thus alluded to in the Report of the
Epping Forest Committee :—
" Harrow Green, Leytonstone, was coloured green on the deposited and
final maps of Epping Forest as being part of the open waste of the Forest.
A small brick-built and timber shed was erected by the turnpike road trustees
on one portion of the green somewhere about the year 1847, and the arbitrator
appointed by the Epping Forest Act, 1878, had no jurisdiction to deal with it.
This shed and its site, which was let at £4 per annum, was recently offered
for sale by public auction. The Leyton Urban District, being desirous that
we should hand over the care and management to them to lay out and plant
the same, suggested that the Conservators should purchase the shed and its
site, and they offered to contribute one-half of the purchase-money. Having
regard to the desirability of acquiring and removing the shed, which was an
eyesore, if not an actual nuisance, we made arrangements through Mr.
Solicitor for its acquisition. The sale took place on 27th October last, when
the property realised the sum of £130. A conveyance has been 'made to the
Conservators, and the District Council have contributed the sum of £65
towards the purchase-money. Notice has been given to the tenant to quit
the property on the 25th of March next, when the shed will be removed and
its site thrown into the Forest."
It may be interesting to note the quantity of land in the
Official Forest. The original award of Lord Hobhouse, made on
July 4th, 1882, estimated the area as 5,530 acres, 3 roods,
17 perches; Oak Hill is 12 acres 2 roods; Higham Park,
30 acres 2 roods 39 perches ; Yardley Hill, 28 acres. From this
total must be subtracted the four acres taken compulsory in