What is the history of Epping Forest?

Epping Forest is an ancient wood pasture, Anglo-Saxon common land and hunting grounds which became a Royal Forest in the early 12th Century under Henry I. The rights of common pre-date the Royal Forest and these rights included grazing, pannage (for pigs), lopping, and turf-stripping.

Why is Epping Forest so important?

Epping Forest is an ‘internationally important’ place because of its unique mix of habitats and species. It’s one of very few large, ancient forests in this part of Britain, and it has lots of rare or important habitats like ancient semi-natural woodland, wood-pasture, old grassland plains, heathlands, and wetlands.

Did Robin Hood live in Epping Forest?

According to legend, Robin Hood was an outlaw who lived in Sherwood Forest, in the heart of Nottinghamshire, with his fellow ‘Merry Men’.

Who gave Epping Forest to the people?

EPPING Forest is one of the few remaining slivers of the ancient woodland that once covered England. It is thought to date back 10,000 years to the end of the last ice age, and now occupies around 6,000 acres of land on a ridge between the rivers Lea and Roding.

How did Epping get its name?

The name “Eppinga” gives a clue to the early inhabitants of the village. It is thought to be from the Anglo-Saxon, “ep” meaning up and “ing” meaning cultivated lands, indicating that the area was settled well before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Is Epping Forest the biggest?

Epping Forest is the largest public open space in the London area, at almost 6,000 acres. A former royal hunting forest, it was saved from destruction in the 19th century by the Corporation of London and an act of parliament entrusted the ownership and care of Epping Forest to the City.

Can you take wood from Epping Forest?

(4) Taking or moving any substance in or from the Forest, save with the previous written consent of the Conservators, PROVIDED that this byelaw shall not apply to the collection in any one day of no more than 12 kg of loose, dead or driftwood, of which no piece shall exceed 5 cm in diameter and 91 cm in length.

What Aboriginal land is Epping?

The suburb of Epping has an interesting history that has included a couple of name changes. Aboriginal people from the Wallumedegal group, whose lands stretch along the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, were living in the region of Epping when the Europeans arrived.

How old is Epping Forest?

Straddling the border between Greater London and Essex lies Epping Forest, a swathe of deciduous woodland measuring almost nine square miles. It is a designated ‘ancient woodland’, a legal term meaning that it has existed since at least the year 1600.

What lives in Epping Forest?

Vertebrates (animals with a backbone) are often spotted in our grounds and in the forest. This could be deer, a basking grass snake, newts and lots of birds. If you are lucky enough to stay in our camping pods you may spot or hear a tawny owl or a bat (10 of the 18 species found in Britain have been recorded here).

How many deer are in Epping Forest?

Deer in Epping Forest could be culled over the next five years to bring the numbers down to 150. The City of London Corporation is looking at bringing the numbers of deer down from an estimated 600 to 800 to a “more sustainable level” in the 8,000-acre wood which runs from Forest Gate to Epping.