The Forest of Dean is no longer 'Royal' (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Wednesday, December 02, 2009, 07:45 (5545 days ago) @ admin

The Forest of Dean is no longer 'Royal'. sounds more like an exam question - Discuss !

Whilst it is easy for some faceless administrator(s) to decide that Royal is not appropriate, they cannot remove 1,000 years of history as simply as that !

The Royal connection dates back, I seem to remember , to William the Conqueror who gave the Forest its Royal hunting ground status.

The Verderers are the sole remnant of the organisational structure developed after Norman times to administer Forest Law - introduced to provide for beasts of the forest, in particular deer and boar, and for the protection of their habitat.
from the 1971 Act :-

Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act 1971
1971 c.47

An Act to abolish certain rights of Her Majesty to wild creatures and certain related rights and franchises; to abrogate the forest law (subject to exceptions); and to repeal enactments relating to those rights and franchises and to forests and the forest law; and for connected purposes.

6) Notwithstanding the abrogation by this section of the forest law or the repeal by this section of the Dean Forest Act 1667, verderers in the Forest of Dean shall continue to be elected and hold office as at the passing of this Act.

Many organisations continue to use Royal such as Royal Forest of Dean College ... http://www.rfdc.ac.uk/

...and I for one will not cease to refer to the FoD as Royal :-)

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>