Government to
church endowments in the Forest upwards of 10,347 pounds. The following
year is almost a blank in the annals of the neighbourhood. The Report of
the Commissioners of Woods was issued on the 5th of August.

In 1846 enclosures to the extent of 1,433 acres 3 roods 5 poles,
comprising Blakeney Hill, Crab-tree Hill (North), Holly Hill, Bromley,
part of Edgehills, and part of Stapledge, were thrown open, and instead
thereof enclosures were made at Light Moor, Middle Ridge, and Phelp's
Meadow, Blaize Bailey, Mitcheldean Meand (North, South), and Loquiers,
the Delves No. 4, Crump Meadow, Bourts No. 1 and 2, Eastbatch Meand, and
Coverham (North and South). The Commissioners of Woods published their
yearly Report on the 25th of August this year, signed by Lord Morpeth.
It states that since 1841 upwards of 291 pieces of encroached land had
been purchased by the foresters for 201 pounds 13s. 3d., and that no less
than 193 grants of coal and iron mine had been galed under 1 and 2 Vict.
c. 48, at a total annual rent to the Crown of 3,783 pounds, in sums
varying from 1 to 250 pounds, as at the Bilson Colliery, besides 315
grants of stone-quarries at a total rent of 87 pounds 9s. 7d. This
includes the following coal-works lately galed, viz., the collieries of
Nash's Folly, New Mill Engine, Unity Colliery, Nag's Head, Smart's Delph,
Gosly Knoll, producing a rental of 16 pounds, and the iron-mines at Old
Park, Scarpit, Easter, Slope Pit, Yew-tree, Bromley Hill, Drybrook,
Prince of Wales, Belt, and Wigpool, bringing 81 pounds 10s. to the Crown,
to all which receipts a royalty of so much per ton on the mineral sold
was added.

Mr. Machen's Notes inform us that in the autumn of 1846 "there was the
most abundant crop of Spanish chesnuts we have ever had, and they ripen
well, but the people injure the trees to get them. No acorns at
all--there are some on the Turkey oaks. The fruit of most kinds has
failed this year, as well as the potatoes; but of some kinds, such as
chesnuts, grapes, blackberries, the crop is abundant. The spruce firs
are looking very bad; many of them are nearly dead."

Except as respects the granting of additional coal and iron gales, the
succeeding year of 1847 may be passed over. It appears by the annual
Report which came out on the 29th of June, that the new iron-mines galed
were those of Wigpool, Dean's Meand, Fairplay, Lydbrook, Symmond's Rock,
Earl Fitzharding's Frog Pit, Penswell's, Eastbat