| Lowery Delf | 62. |
| Coleford High Delf | 63·72, 63·61, and 60·96. |
| Churchway | 60·33 and 64·135. |
| Rockey | 61·735. |
| Starkey | 61·53. |
| Park End Little Delf | 58·15. |
| Smith Coal | 63·36. |
None of these sorts of coal emit “fire-damp” in their natural condition—a fact which adds so much to the safety of the pits; but “choke-damp” is very prevalent.
The sandstone matrix of these coal-beds constitutes the grey and buff-coloured rock so well known in the neighbourhood of the Forest as a valuable building material, as well as for ornamental stonework. Although for many years past it has been generally preferred to the gritstone of the district, and is commonly met with in the better specimens of stonework on this side the
Severn, of which Mr. Telford’s Over Bridge and Lord Somers’s mansion at Eastnor are examples, yet originally such was not the case, since the earliest example of its being used for any considerable pieces of masonry occurs in the steeple of Ruerdean Church, a work of the 15th century. Now, however, almost all the 320 stone quarries worked in the Forest are of this stone, which is very pleasing in tint, and, if judiciously selected, very durable.
APPENDIX.
No. I.
Papers preserved in the Lansdowne Collection at the British Museum.
“Right Honourable,
“Acoording unto your Lordship’s warrant, Wee repaired unto and have veiwed and duelie considered the severall woodes, known by the names of Great Bradley, Little Bradley, Stonegrove, Pigstade, Buckholde Moore, and the Copps; all lying together and conteyning by the measure of 16½ foote the pole, 520 acres. In wch grounds we thinke (the woodes being muche differing in qualitie, by an equall proportion) there maie be raised for everie acre 30 coard of woode; reserving sufficient staddells according to the state, wch, according to the measure of the said grounds, amounted unto the number of 15,600 cordes of woode. Uppon conference with divers in the contrie, wee finde that such a quantitie of woode is not suddainly to be vented in anie other sorte then to the iron workes, wch causeth either the cheapnes or dearnes of the same; the contrie not vallewing the said woodes uppon the stem above xiiiid the coard, although to the iron workes it may be vallued at IIs VId the coard. So that according to the rate of the contrie, the said proportion of woode is worthe cccccv li. And according to the compictacon for the iron works, the same maie be vallued at mixclx li. We imagine that the charge of ffensing the said woodes, circuting 4 miles, will cost, to be done and kept according to the state, aboute cc markes. The rent is 20 li. per ann.
“Robert Treswell. J. Norden. Tho. Morgan.”
The wood standing in the 6 copses above named, Sir Edward Winter proposed to buy for 800 lib., cutting and carrying away the same, one copse after another, in 5 years’ time. But this proposal was so impugned as to elicit the ensuing defence from Sir E. Winter:—“A true Answere to