Hainault Forest Website

 Hainault Estate Road Names Explained

 Street names on the Hainault Estate are linked to occupations, trades, hunting, deer and plants subject to Forest Laws which once applied in the area.

 

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REGARDER - A Regarder was a knight whose responsibility was to check the woods and forest areas (The regard) every 3 years, and report back to the Forest Court.

AGISTER  - Agisters were forest officials who collected  money for the feeding of oxen, cattle or pigs (The agistment) in the woods or forest areas.

ARROWSMITH ROAD

FLETCHER ROAD

CROSSBOW ROAD

ARROWSMITH - An Arrowsmith forges the arrow tips. FLETCHER - A Fletcher fits the feathers or flights to the arrow. CROSSBOW - Heavy fines were imposed for using the Crossbow in the forest.

BROCKET WAY

BROCKET - A male Red deer in his second year

STAGGART GR.

Or STAGGARD - a male Red deer in his fourth year. Also a 1+year swan.

HIND CLOSE

HIND - A female Red deer in her first year

HART CRES.

HART - A male red deer in his sixth year. If hunted - a Hart Royal.

FALLOW CLOSE

FALLOW - The Red and Fallow deer were beasts of the chase.

FAWN CLOSE

FAWN - Male or female Fallow deer in their first year
TINE ROAD ROEBUCK ROAD ROEBUCK - Male Roe deer. Not a beast of chase, i.e. not venison.
A TINE is a point on the antlers of Red deer. Generally indicate age of the deer. BOAR CLOSE BOAR - Wild boar were present in 13th Century. Classed as venison.

HARBOURER ROAD

The illustration shows fourteenth century HARBOURERS and a BERNER (centre). On the right the Harbourer has a lymehound which hunts by scent, and is secured by a lymer. The Harbourer on the left has released his dog, which has unharbourered a deer, i.e. flushed it from cover.  The lymer is coiled on his arm. The Berner looks after the dogs and feeds them.

HUNTSMAN ROAD

TUFTER ROAD

COVERT ROAD

HUNTSMEN were the King's servants. The sheriff or other dignitary was required by the King to pay a daily allowance to the huntsmen and their hounds when in their area.

A TUFTER is a dog trained to drive deer out of cover. This breed of dog is not mentioned in W.R.Fisher's book "Forest of Essex" but was used in other English forests. A COVERT is a thicket which provided cover for deer, game and other animals.

PEREGRINE ROAD

TERCEL PATH

BEARING WAY

The PEREGRINE falcon along with the Goshawk were used in falconry. A TERCEL was the male of the peregrine, goshawk and other raptors used in hunting A BEARING was the support used for a goshawk or other raptor.

HOLT WAY

KINGSWOOD

BURROW ROAD

HOLT -Saxon origin meaning  woodland.

Hainault was called Hyneholt in 1239, possibly meaning a monastic woodland, as it was part of the manor of Barking Abbey.

Following the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII acquired their woodlands, and  in 1544 ordered a survey  of the woodland at Hainault to determine its value. It became known as KINGSWOOD

The fox and the rabbit were designated beasts of warren and were killed but not conserved. Rabbits were kept in warrens from Roman times. The term BURROW survives to this day in Foxburrows Farm in Hainault Country Park.

POLLARD WAY

VERDERERS ROAD

Illustrated left are old Hornbeam tree POLLARDS in Hainault Forest. Branches could be lopped (cut) at the height of a man and his 3 ft. axe. The branches were to be used for fuel but the brushwood with leaves was to be left for the deer. Strict laws regulated this. Today attempts to pollard and re-pollard trees can be seen.

VERDERERS were esquires or gentlemen of good account, ability, and living, wise and discreet men and well learned in the laws of the Forest"

They were appointed, following an election, to do justice in the Forest at the Court of Attachments, and were sworn to deal with any offences, and if they could not, to inform the King. They were expected to treat all persons, rich or poor equally.

 

 

 

 

 COPPICE PATH

Young trees were cut at ground level (COPPICE) and were allowed to regrow. The tree was again cut after seven or more years  and the timber, especially from Hazel or Chestnut, was used as paling for fencing.