The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-16
EPPING FOREST.
LOndOn's Best Pleasure Ground
Trees and Wild Life.

] frees ana VIII Lie.
| Epping forest has ifs secret wild life.
| such as the herd of fallow deer wandering
| aimIessly where the cover is densest in
| Theydon thicket and Monk wood and its
treasures for naturalists and botanists in
Towering plants. moses and fungi which
cannot be found anywhere else: but 1t is
mainly a democratic pleasure ground.
where innocent recreation Is TO be enjoyed
i by the poorest people OF London. 1t is a
/ fayorite haunt for suburban wheelmen.
! who are TO be counted by the thousands
| on every fine morning and afternoon. and
! II would be difficult to find a more varied
I or picturesque ground for open air riding.
! On every holiday Il is filed with Joyous
| excursion throng from London. and the
| Royal Oak and Robin Hood attract many
thousands from workaday London. who
| are In the woods for an all-day frolic in
| the fresh air. Noisy Is the revelry of these
| holiday swarms. but wholesome and light
hearted is the relaxation which they OBJ
| tain from daily toll. On such days the
superintendent who ordinarily preserves
order in the forest with the help OF a
dozen keepers. has 10 call In a contingent
of city police TO impose restraint upon the
conduct OF the merry makers. But ordi-
narily the woodlands are not under close
supervision. There Is probably no recrea-
ton ground OF equal magnitude which is
maintained at public expense more eco
nomically than Epping forest. In pre-
serving the natural aspect OF this wood
land waste the London corporation has
adopted the most effective measure for
popularizing IL and for protecting II
against abuse of privilege.
The country surrounding Epping is one
which possesses manifold attractions for
wheelmen and pedestrians. The roads
are among the best TO be found in Eng
land and interesting houses, churches
and old-time inns are to he seen al every
turn Waltham abbey. King Harold's
burial place. and one of she earliest ex-
amples OF Norman architecture lies only
two miles from the edge OF the forest.
Near by is Waltham Cross. erected by
Edward I in memory Of Queen Eleanor.
in what is now quaint and picturesque
market place. At the entrance of Theo-
hald's park. spacious and beautiful pri-
vate estate, is Temple Bar. the historical
gateway of London, which was crowded
out Of Fleet street. At Rye house. not
Ear away. are the ruins Of the Conspiracy
Manor honse, and also picnic tavern.
where the Great Bed OF Ware is dis
played.
on the other side Of the forest is n bit
OF Dickens land Old Chigweu church
is about two miles from Buckhurst hill,
and II is encompassed by the quiet
churchyard where Barnahy Rudgc dned
with his mother after their visit 10 Mr..
Haredale at the Warren and whore Grin,
the raven. walked up and down. solemnly
inspecting the names on the tombstones.
More interesting than the church Is the
Eiizabethan inn opposite. with its gable
ends. diamond pane tattices. massive
beams. blackened ceilings and overhang-
Ing front. II is styled the Kings Head
inn but 1t is none other than the May
pole and corresponds closely 10 the de-
scription given hy Mr. Dickens Of the "a
nous tavern The copper teskettie Is
not fin sight and the landlord cannot De
Identified with John Wiliett; but at any
hour Of the day or night the three crouies.
who used 20 listen TO his oracular utter
ances are 70 be seen IN the stufy little
room drinking their ale. At any rate 7
saw them there in their accustomed
places. whIte-halred and rummy in com
tenanna as though they were waiting for
John wiilctt 10 return from The Sal
warmers" and add Up the scose. and I
doubt nas that any simple child Of nafare
from America who rides over this season
on his wheel from EppinR 10 Chi9weIl.
will also find them II BY any chance he
misses seeing them. he can al least ride
back through the beautiful forest and be
certain TO hear more than one nighfln-
gale sing on the way. ]. ". r.