Open Country

The People's Forest


Listen Later

Helen Mark hears the story of how the ancient Epping Forest was fought for, and saved by, the people of East London.

In the late 19th century, Epping Forest was threatened with enclosures. As elsewhere in Britain, local landowners were selling off common land for farming or building developments. But local people fought back. Beginning with a Loughton man, Thomas Willingale, who continued to assert his commoner rights to lop trees for firewood, the groundswell of protest later became thousands of working class East Enders gathering on Wanstead Flats - the area closest to the city of London.

The land of Epping Forest was eventually bought by the City of London Corporation, and with the Epping Forest Act of 1878, was forever saved from more enclosures. As Queen Victoria declared in 1882, "It gives me great satisfaction to dedicate this beautiful forest for the use and enjoyment of my people for all time”.

Part of the responsibility of the new conservators of the forest, the City of London, was to look after and protect the forest for both people and wildlife. Helen Mark hears from those who job it is to carry that out, including Senior Epping Forest Keeper Martin Whitfield and Head of Conservation Tanith Cook. She also speaks to local historian, Georgina Green - author of 'Keepers, Cockneys and Kitchen Maids: Memories of Epping Forest, 1900-25', a book about the forests' eventful past, who also talks about her own memories of the place. And finally Luke Turner, author of 'Out of The Woods', who lives on the forest border talks about the myriad ways humans and Epping Forest are entwined.

Produced by Eliza Lomas, BBC Audio Bristol.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Open CountryBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

83 ratings


More shows like Open Country

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,412 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,843 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,914 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

241 Listeners

Farming Today by BBC Radio 4

Farming Today

66 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

500 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,782 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,050 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

167 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

285 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

269 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,081 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

45 Listeners

The Kitchen Cabinet by BBC Radio 4

The Kitchen Cabinet

124 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

260 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

109 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

104 Listeners

Folk on Foot by Matthew Bannister

Folk on Foot

65 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

742 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,989 Listeners

BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast by Immediate Media

BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast

306 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

208 Listeners

Limelight by BBC Radio 4

Limelight

270 Listeners

A Life More Wild by Canopy & Stars

A Life More Wild

19 Listeners