Conclusions on woods

The "woods" in this area were originally mostly scrub with some trees. It was never classed as forest. Although Princes Risborough was a royal borough and the Black Prince had a stud farm in the town, royalty never lived here. There are records in the sixteenth century when the land was let and legislation dictated that no great oaks were to be felled and that twelve staddels (young trees) had to be left to grow in every acre. A good law in a country where timber for ships and houses was of top priority.

In time huge areas of trees had grown to become the Parish Woods.

The population grew slowly, still all part of the Manor of Princes Risborough. The parish woods were vital for them as they provided the only source of fuel for warmth and cooking. It was not permitted to fell or even trim the trees but collecting fallen wood was. After stormy weather everybody possible went "wooding".

This system continued for centuries. But 1823, with the Inclosures of Princes Risborough, brought a complete change. At that time the woods were sold into private hands. They were all purchased by John Grubb, the Lord of the Manor, and at first nothing changed even though they no longer belonged to the parish. Gradually the massive area of Highwood, Kingswood, and Abbottswood was auctioned off. Smallridge Wood stayed intact for a long time, but over time was bought by various people as a block.

The new owners gradually cleared the land, (now In 2019 this would be called deforestation). In the mid nineteenth century the number of sawyers employed rivalled that of agricultural labourers, which had historically been by far the biggest form of employment.