All Round the Wrekin - The Royal Forest

Policing The Forest

A system of courts existed to enforce forest law, the highest of which was the Forest Eyre, presided over by the Chief of Justice. However, there were only two of these courts in England, serving the forests to the north and south of the River Trent. Minor offences against the venison and vert were dealt with locally, at the Woodmote, the medieval equivalent of a modern Magistrates Court, while those cases requiring a jury were sent to the Swainmote. The officer presiding over the Woodmote and Swainmote was the Verderer and each Royal forest had at least four of them. They were usually appointed for life and drawn from the ranks of the local landed gentry. From at least the end of the 12th Century, the Forester family were the hereditary wardens of Mount Gilbert and as a reward for services rendered, the King granted them half a virgate of land (roughly 30 acres) in Wellington Hay, within the vicinity of the family's home at Old Hall.