The Forest of Essex: Its History, Laws, Administration and Ancient Customs, and the wild Deer which lived in it

Large 8vo (26cm), viii + 448pp, including several maps, some gutters have been resewn, rebound in green buckram with maroon faux leather spine, separated from each board by a gilt band, gilt lettering on spine displaying the title, author's name and year of publication, new endpapers and flyleaves inserted, top edge of textblock gilt, in very good internal condition, contents consistently clean and bright.

Written by a Lincoln's Inn barrister William Richard Fisher, this work reviews documentary evidence relating to the legal workings of the Royal Forest of Essex, established in the early 10th century. The system of forest law was laid down by William the Conqueror and multiple royal forests, i.e. private hunting reserves for the monarch, were thereafter established across England. These were areas that supported large numbers of deer and game and usually comprised heaths, grassland and wetland, but not all were wooded. The Forest of Essex in southeast England was notable for covering nearly the entire county at some point in history. Over time, as the county gradually became disafforested, the original Forest of Essex was divided into four smaller forests with a greater proportion of woodland cover each: Waltham Forest, Hatfield Forest, Witham Forest and the now long-lost Kingswood Forest near Colchester.